An Unclassafiable Inuyasha SI Arc 2: A New Future
by clumbsyLurker
Summary: It's been fifty years since the end of the last story. Now the fight begins again. Will there be a brighter future or is fate truly set in stone?
1. Chapter 1

Wow, I got five reviews total for my last story. I'd like to thank nanohanasai, etsuo , and silverwolf8907. If you like it, tell me, if you don't TELL ME! I'm thanking my reviewers because they are showing me they actually read the story. Even if the review is "Keep writing" its fine. Anyway, this story arc is where things are going to get interesting. The first part was basically the set up. I wanted to introduce a few characters and a few ideas for more in depth look in this part. Now since I really want to show some differences in the story when compared to the anime as well as keep what semblance of style I had in the previous story I'm going to mainly use flashback sequences. If there isn't much of a flashback sequence odds are I'm either lazy or I'm lazy in saying the same thing from the anime happened again. I'm going to attempt to make this a whole lot bigger in terms of scope as well as chapters. Well, enough rambling. Disclaimer. I own nothing AND LIKE IT!

I lift my sword and release another Kuu Ha Zan attack. Man, things are really BORING! You never realize that most things in Japan are REALLY weak. Only a few are really tough and they are usually smart enough to know when NOT to fight with the other tough bastards. I look to the group of shivering refugee demons and sigh. Another demon settlement's been destroyed…Japan is in almost constant strife so its no surprise that villages pop up and disappear in the span of a decade or two. I lost count of the decades I've been wandering. I made a promise when Kikyo died that I'd make a world she'd be happy to live in. Unfortunately I am far from there. I've saved a few villages and even a few demon villages, or settlements since some demon clans don't build houses and such like humans. But there is still a lot of hate, fear, mistrust and plain bigotry from BOTH humans and demons.

As I wandered I tried to show to both sides that there is more than just survival. Surviving is NOT living. It's just a pale imitation of life. But people are weak. Troubles seem without bounds. For one village I save three more fall and a few rise. In times like these fear is abundant. By traveling and helping all those I can I want to give hope to the people that there ARE people who care. People who want to help not for gold or for power, but simply because it's the right thing to do. I still get stoned at some villages. Even a few I saved a decade or two before. Humans have short memories as well….

I, however, haven't been idly wandering. I have succeeded in something that goes beyond even what I thought possible. I created a village of humans, demons and hanyous. I call it Outkast. Simply put it's a village where people with no where else to go can go. Naturally most demons don't want to live with humans but that's fine. Those are the type of demons we don't want living there anyway. People and demons, like the ones I just saved, are all welcomed there. In fact I'll be leading them to the village shortly where they can rest and, if they want, join. If they don't we'll send them on their way and they can live how they choose.

The village is composed an assortment of people. There are of course weak demons. The type of demons that their clans rejected because of their weakness and tossed out to die. Separate, they are weak. But if you have a group of them and properly train them, they are formidable. We have a few hanyous there. Some are as young as I was when I was separated from Mother and Yasha. I have a particular soft spot for them and do my best that they have a hell of a better childhood than me and my brother had. Finally, we have the humans. Some are from destroyed villages that wandered in and stayed for the protection of having a village full of demons and hanyous. Some are weak to somewhat powerful mikos that decided to settle down. We even have a few demon hunters, though most are retired. I know, demon hunters in THIS kind of village. Well, I personally know all of them. It helps to be the personal friend of their village elder.

Last I heard Kohaku was ill. I've healed him a few times with my sword, but its only a matter of time. He's human and he's old. But as long as he's willing to fight I have his back. Like old times.

We also have a few monks in the village. Fortunately they are nothing like Miroku. If they were I think the village woman would have made sure they didn't have the necessary tools to BE with a woman again. Trust me some demon women are just plain DANGEROUS. Unfortunately Miroku, at least the one I traveled with, passed away almost….ten years I think it was. A demon managed to get him since he slowed down in his old age. When I heard about it I came but it was too late to revive him. I had to settle for showing that demon why it was very…..unwise to kill good friends of mine! We have a big mix of humans and what not from a lot of walks of life. That's the reason why I'm proud of it. Its HARD to have so many different people together. But we are all together for the same reason. To live. That's reason enough for us all. Now to take these forsaken wolf demons back to the village to heal their wounds.

It took about four days and two attacks but we've reached our destination. The village is big by Feudal standards. I remember when it was just four or so houses. Now we have about twenty or so. If these demons want to stay, probably more. The eldest of the demons thank me and they head toward the town square. People here are friendly toward new faces since they've been on the opposite end enough times. I move toward the Village Head's house. I haven't seen her in a while. I make it to the front door when an elderly woman with gray hair and still bright eyes welcomes me with a smile.

"Hello Mog-chan, how did your journey go?" I mock growl. She's one of the few people I allow to use that nick name. Hell, I gave it to myself when I talked to her all those years ago. "Not much Nena-chan. How's the kids?"

She rolls her eyes. "If you mean mine you should know they have kids of their own they are taking care of. If you meant the village children, fine. Though they do miss you." I shrug a bit. I love playing with the children and taking care of them, but I have SO much to do. "I'll stop and say hi. Then I'll probably go back out"

Nena looks a bit saddened though not surprised. Why should she have been? I've been doing this for years, more than years, DECADES. She looks at me. "Mog…Tomasaru" My ears go up. She only calls me by my name when she is serious about something. "Don't you wish to settle down? At least stop your travels for a few years." I sigh. This is an old argument.

"You know I can't. There are too many people out there. Too much to do for me to just sit down and relax." She looks at me evenly. "I think you've more than made it up for her." I tense. She and I both know who HER is. "No, it's not enough. It will NEVER be enough." She shakes her head. "Do you think she'd want to see you destroy yourself like this? You've never stayed in this village more than a week unless you've had a grievous injury! You never even look or respond to the advances several of the village women make toward you! You only bring people here. Talk and train , then leave again to fight. I do not think Kik.." I turn around on her "DO NOT….Just don't say her name…"

"Tomas….its been YEARS. You can not be held responsible for what happened. You saved Japan, nah the WORLD, by ridding us of that jewel. Her life was important but it was one life…and her choice you recall." I look toward her fire. "I recall every moment. That's what keeps me going." She smiled at me. "Yes. It is quite amazing you've been going as you have. I don't think there is a single individual, human, demon or otherwise that DOES NOT know you."

I snort in amusement. "Yeah, but what about me would you be referring to? That I'm a demon giant that slaughters the wicked by the thousands? That I'm a human sorcerer under a curse punishing others? Or the people that actually do know something about me and say I'm nothing more than a fool. A strong one but a fool none the less."

"I prefer the rumor that if you are ever in need, with no where else to turn. Tomasaru will help you." I shake my head. "That's one of the more RARE tidbits of gossip."

"So now what will you do?" I rise and head to my room. "Get some sleep, I got some training to do tomorrow."

The morning comes a bit too quickly. I shrug off the soreness of my body with practiced ease. I don't have time to be hurt. I see that there are a number of people waiting for me. News of my arrivals come quickly since I tend to leave just as quickly. A group of twenty were waiting for me. Ten demons, five humans, and five hanyous. I've taught them about fighting together and not against each other. If a fight does break out I take on the two or more bakas that started it and finish it…..HARD. After that I tell them I won't be so gentle. I'm glad we don't have too many idiots in this village. I've been teaching them all my sword fighting techniques. Not ALL, just as much as I can. I also work with them on their strategies. We have two mikos for the humans and I want them to learn to USE that in a fight. I remind them I'd never have beaten Naraku by myself and neither would any of my companions. It took ALL of us to do it, and that's what I expected of them. After about three hours I excuse myself. I want to look around the village.

I never get tired of watching a human and a demon work together in the fields or hanyou and a demon playfully arguing about something. I wish she was up there somewhere, watching down on me. Watching how I'm trying to make things better in this world. But I know she's not. Her spirit is five hundred or so years in the future. Damn, how many decades has it been? I think five but I don't want to get hopeful. Although its been a while I really want to see Yasha again. Although I don't know how I'm going to explain everything that happened after he was sealed….

After a long day of just mingling in the village I jump up to the roof of the Headmaster's house. Sure I sleep there when I am in the village but I can't be called the Head Master. Truthfully, neither can Nena. When I founded Outkast I made a ruling council. The head of the council Is Nena. I vouched for her which was enough to get her landslide of votes. I created it for a lot of reasons but the main one was I wanted everyone in the village to feel like their voice mattered. If all human, hanyous would feel left out as well as demons. The same could be said of any of the three so I made sure that three of each had a place on the council. It's a little B5 but if it worked for the Minbari….

I just look at the sky watching how the sun is starting to set. I've traveled so far, done so much. Has it made any kind of difference? In a year, ten years, a hundred years will Outkast still be here? Will there be other villagers like it? Or will it be destroyed for being too radical? I know Sess was livid about it. That and all the treaties I've been making with neighboring demon tribes and human settlements. I want them to think we are as little and as uninteresting as possible so they don't decide we are a threat. Needless to say the backing of the Demon Slayer village makes even the toughest of demons think twice about attacking. Sess doesn't seem to like the idea of me making treaties and looking after villages. I've gotten into more than one fight with him about it. In one or two fights he completely loses his cool. I've NEVER seen Sesshomaru look angry! I mean face, body, yelling, everything. Usually it might be his eyes that grow angry and he might raise his voice a bit. He was shouting, red face, the works.

I have no idea WHY? Its not about my sword. He didn't even ask for my sword. I guess his bastard brother's hanyou fangs are too disgusting for him. Is he angry I'm MAKING a place for hanyous and other undesirables? People he'd kill without a second thought because they were too weak? I just don't know.

Man, I got so much on my mind I can't even enjoy the setting sun. How the clouds hide it just a bit. The changing of the colors in the sky. The sparkling shards that seem to be flying everywhere……

I bolt up. Shards! No way! It hasn't been…..wait, one two…three…wait no, Kohaku is close to seventy…..he was in his twenties when we…..OH CRAP! Well, at least I know he's awake. Well, at least I know ONE thing happened like it did in the anime. I hop down off the roof and head inside. I have to tell Rena I'm leaving tomorrow….

I walk briskly to Kaede's village. I could run but truth be told I wasn't in any hurry to get there. Kaede told me in no uncertain terms how unwelcome I was and she was hell bent on proving it. I visit Kik….her shrine whenever I could. Sometimes I could pray to her in peace. Sometimes…..Kaede tried to kill me. First she tried wards. Then arrows, then traps. She tried the Rosary necklace but I have a lot more control over myself and my demon energy than Yasha. I'd outrun the beads and the one time she DID manage to get them on me, I wrapped and inverted my energy onto myself so that I excluded no demon energy whatsoever. With no power to hold the beads on I just took it off like a regular necklace. Oh, Kaede was pissed at that…..

Well, if the jewel was shattered, that means Yasha is still alive. I really hope he's not still angry over that thing with mother. For me it's been sixty or so years. Not that anyone can tell. Heh, being a Hanyou rocks. I look like I aged a year or two at most. I guess being a hanyou AND being trained in the Hiten Mitsurugi lets me age better than most. I'm close to the village. I smell Yasha and another scent. A scent that's been burned into my heart long ago. But its slightly different. Its not her. It will never be her.

I march into the village. The people are looking at me with wary looks. It doesn't matter. No one truly remembers who I am here. Only Kaede. I ask one of the villagers where her hut is. I smell that Inuyasha has left, probably with Kagome, to find jewel shards. I think me and Kaede need to have a chat. I want to make sure if she wanted to kill ANYONE, its me and not Yasha. I get to her place and I take a sniff. Well, its sorta like the scent I remember. Its been a while. I step through the door. She looks at me.

"Inuy…..YOU!" Her eye grows wide and shines with hate. "Why are YE here?" I sit across from her and shrug. "My brother's finally awake." I got his scent and it seems to be moving south. "I'm glad you didn't kill him like you said you would." Her eyes calmed but her body was rigid. "Those were words spoken in the heat of anger. Your brother did no wrong. It was Naraku that attempted to kill my sister. YOU were the one responsible for her death." I sigh. The words still stung. The truth is still the truth no matter how long. "I apologized and live the live of a wanderer to atone for it. I'm pretty sure everybody has heard something about me in my journeys."

She has an edged smile. "Yes, many things. Though be they truth none know." I smile though I don't have an edge. I can never really hate Kaede. She hates me for the same reason I hate myself. "Well, I know, and most of them are pure horse crap." Her eye brow raised. "I didn't think ye bested a guardian of the Divine Kami" I look at her surprised. "No, that really did happen. I was thinking more along the lines of I never cracked open dragon eggs just to lure the parents to me in order to slay."

She blinked. "But I met someone who said they met you and you offered him an omelet while the corpses of two dragons lay dead at your feet." I wince. "Well, at the time I was hungry and DIDN'T KNOW they were dragon eggs, so I just saw some big eggs and decided to make an omelet. The parents were…..a bit angry…" Keade looked at me in anger and a bit of disgust. "I wouldn't be surprised…"

"Well, I did have leftovers for a few days after that!" Keade just glared at me. Sheesh, its almost like I'm with….well she's acting a bit like her sister. "You mind if I wait here a bit? I want to be here when my brother gets back." Her glare intensified. "I DO mind. Now GET OUT!" I sigh and I feel my ears go down a bit. Well, I'll wait by the Bone Eaters well. Kagome HAS to go there to get home. I suppose I could track them, but…..I'm tired. I'm tired of traveling and moving around. Staying in one spot is just what the doctor ordered!

Two days later….

KAMI, I'M SO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORED!

Damn, after the first day my body is telling me move, MOVE! Damn. I don't think I CAN stay in one place for any length of time. I just get up and do some more training. That's what I've been doing for…..I guess fifty or so years. Wake up, train, move, fight sleep and repeat. No rest, no stop. Just keep moving, keep fighting. If I stop I'll think. If I think I'll remember…If I remember I might not ever start again. I might just end things so I didn't have to think I'd be without her til I died. May as well quicken things up to see her again. If I do that then I'll break the promise I made to myself and her all those years ago. I promised I'd make a world she'd be happy to live in. I can't stop, I can't rest until I do.

A familiar scent washed across my nose. Familiar but not her. I see a girl of no older than 16 come stomping into the clearing muttering about "stupid jerk". I think I know who she's talking about. I sit on the well and wait for her to notice me. She keeps walking. I blink. She'll look up soon. She's stomping closer. She looks up. "Ekk!" and pushes me down the well. THAT wasn't the reaction I was expecting. I fall to the bottom gracefully…..headfirst. Fortunately I've been hit on the head a lot so I'm used to it. I jump up and land back on the spot I sat on.

The girl is flustered. "OhmygoshInuyashaI'msoSORRY!" I blink. "It's ok lady, and my name is not Inuyasha." She looks at me funny. "Did you hit your head when you fell?" I blinked. "Well yeah." Her eyes tear up. "Oh, I'm sooooooo sorry Inuyasha. I gave you brain damage. Oh god, How could I have been SO STUPID!"

I blink again. I haven't been around people too much in the last couple of decades but I think this isn't normal…..then again from what I remember when I socialized this is mild. I think I better stop her rant before she passes out from lack of oxygen. "Lady, listen, I'm NOT Inuyasha, I'm his brother. Ok? My name is Tomasaru." I smile as I remember something. "TO – MA – SA – RU! Not Inuyasha!" My sensitive ears and nose tells me Yasha is coming here fast. Well at least this girl will see us both at the same time so she'll know I'm not crazy…..much.

"Don't worry Inuyasha, maybe another blow to the head will fix it." I smile at her. There's no way she can hurt me. That fall barely hurt. She takes a deep breath. Inuyasha jumps into the clearing, behind Kagome, sees me and rushes. She looks at me and Yells "SIT!" Yasha stops in midair two feet behind Kagome and falls flat on his face. The shockwave causes Kagome to turn around. "Inuyasha, but, you're over there…" she points to me "..then how are you there…? WHAT'S GOING ON?"

I chuckle a bit. "Ok, lady, here's the short version. Me and him are twin brothers. The end." She blinks. "Oooookaaay…." Meanwhile Inuyasha gets to his feet. He gets into Kagome's face. "Why the hell did you do that you stupid girl?" She just got right into his. "I thought he was you only with brain damage!" I wince. Gee, thanks a lot for your first impression of me Kagame….

Inuyasha just gets angrier. "So you SIT me because you think MY brain is BROKEN? What sort of stupid, girly, logic is that?" Oh boy Inuyasha, you should learn to take the verbal lashing. Its much better compared to the…."SIT BOY!" Ouch, the physical ones they get you with.

Kagome just turns to me with fire in her eyes. I raise my claws in surrender. I may be a strong hanyou, but I know better than to take on a pissed off woman on a full head of anger! "Whoa! Calm down. I just told you my name, no need to glare at me too!" Her glare softens a bit. "So what brings you here?" I point down at the crater that was home to my brother. "Heard he was awake. Wanted to catch up, say hello. You know, the whole family thing."

He gets up and glares at me. "We aren't family! You abandoned mom and me YEARS ago! Now you think you can waltz back into my life like it was NOTHING!" I glare right back. Selective memory Yasha…."First off, I didn't abandon you, I was training with Master Hiko. Second, I offered you the same thing, you refused. Third Mother was OK with me training with him. Fourth she died of illness and there was nothing either of us could do about it!" He looked at me with loathing in his eyes. "Like I'd want to be trained by some WEAK human! I've gotten along fine without training."

I looked at him. "So that whole decorating the tree thing was for kicks the past fifty years?" He lunges for me. "You BASTARD!" I flow out of the reach of his attack. "Come on Yasha, I came here to talk, not fight!" Snarling he launches himself at me again. "Too bad!" He comes at me again. Really, this is getting boring. He uses the same moves over and OVER again. Does he think I might get bored and let him hit me if he keeps trying?

I grab his extended claw and do a simple judo throw. He lands on his feet and prepares to jump at me again. "Inuyasha! Stop it right now! He's your brother!" Inuyasha just snarls at Kagome. "Shut up girl, this doesn't concern you!" She gets a look in her eye and I'm suddenly reminded of….her. When she'd grab my ear and then yell down it for good measure. "SIT!" Inuyasha becomes one with the ground again. I find this rather amusing. Usually its me who's on the receiving end of punishment. Although it is my brother…..but he WAS attacking me…..ahh, I'll enjoy it while it lasts!

She looks at me and I see none of the homicidal rage she'd show just a second prior. "So, tell me about you and Inuyasha. He's a bit of a grump." I look at his prone form, and the prone form outline in the ground. I look at her and mutter "Yeah, just a bit of a grump…."

"So what's it like to be Inuyasha's brother?" I shrug. "We're brothers. Its what we've always been, even if the grump doesn't like it." The grump just growls. "Damn it Yasha! What do you want from me?" He gets up and tries to stare me down. Its like looking into an angry mirror. "I want you GONE! I've gotten along just fine without you! If it wasn't for that….BITCH Kikyo I wouldn't have been stuck to that tree!" I try to rein in my temper but when it comes to Kikyo I don't have a lot of restraint.

"Shut UP! You have NO idea what REALLY happened with yourself and Kikyo!" He just snarls at me "And you do?" My face closes. I backed myself into this corner. Though I'm surprised Kaede didn't tell him.

"I came to the village the day you were pinned to the tree. I got the whole show of you getting shot and dropping the jewel. Kikyo was badly wounded so I healed her. While trying to get her not to shoot me a demon revealed himself. His name was Naraku. He could change his shape. He set the two of you up against each other. He also stole the jewel…." Inuyasha interrupted me "STOP LYING! Come on, shape changing demons, and Kagome had the jewel inside her. How do you explain THAT?" He looked smug. I looked bored. Kagome look haunted. I think she's getting some memories with this story…

"If I can continue? Thank you. As I was saying Naraku stole the jewel. Kikyo then realized she was tricked and was heartbroken. She was determined to chase down Naraku. I helped her since she was too weak to survive on her own. She didn't even have the power to set you free, which I asked her to do several times. Anyway, long story short, we beat him but she badly wounded. She asked me to bring her body back to the village and burn it with the jewel. I did, the end." OK, I skipped over a few major details but he DOES NOT need to know!

He looked a bit stunned. And devastated. I know the feeling bro. I've been feeling it for fifty years…

I look at Kagome. "So, Kagome is it?" I wait for her to nod. "The jewel was inside you?" She nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think I'm Kikyo reincarnated! I'm just a junior high school student!" I smile at her. "Stranger things have happened." Yasha growl and Kagome looks intrigued. "Like what?" I smirk at Inuyasha. "House training a hanyou." Miroku was a bad influence on me….

Inuyasha got up and looked like he wanted another round with me. Without even glancing in is direction. "Kagome…" She smirked and I saw Yasha pale in my peripheral vision. "Sit boy." Again he slammed into the ground. Hmm, maybe THAT'S how he toughened up. Like the boulder training in Ranma…..endurance training for hanyous. I shake my head. I'd have learned…..well ok maybe we are more alike than I thought. Well, I'd at least try to guilt her into not doing it so often. He got sat QUITE a few times!

"So, where is the jewel?" I see them both wince. Yup, probably happened JUST like the anime. I listened, I nodded. Yup. JUST like the anime. Shattered. "So you are going to look for them all?" Kagome nodded. "Yeah, it IS my fault it shattered." Inuyasha just growled. "When we get all the pieces its MINE! I'm going to become a full fledged demon!" I shake my head. "Yasha, you DO know that to become a full demon you'll be getting rid of mother's blood right? Do you hate her so much?" He got tense and looked at me with murder in his eyes. "You don't have ANY right to say that! At least I stayed by her side instead of playing with humans!" Only Yasha would call training with Master Hiko as playing….

"Well, I've lived a pretty good life as a hanyou and I've made a difference. I wouldn't change what I am for anything." Kagome smiled at me "Good for you. At least you know what you want out of life and DO it. I have NO clue what to do about my future!" I shake my head. "Truthfully I don't know either. All I can say is trust your heart. It usually won't let you down" Inuyasha just snorted. "That's a bunch of garage! To have a future you need to be strong. You need to be able to kill anything looking to kill you!" Crap, I knew Yasha was bad off but to be THIS bad. I look at Kagome. In the series she was the one to save him. I know I can't. Nothing I say will reach him. Damn it!

I rise up. "Well, I think I'll help in your journey. I'll gather whatever shards in my travels and when I find you guys give them to you. This way we can cover more ground." Kagome shook her head. "But how will you find the jewel shards? Only I can see them." Inuyasha threw in what he thought. "Whatever shards you get you better give to me!"

I glare at Inuyasha. "Damn it brother. I had the WHOLE jewel and I honored Kikyo's request to burn it with her! You think I'd take jewel shards when I could have had the WHOLE thing?" I shake my head in disgust. I turn to Kagome. "As for not knowing where the jewel shards…..To be blunt it won't be too hard. Just follow the carnage and I'll probably find them." Kagome blushes. I'm sure that was so simples she wondered why she didn't think of it.

As I rise I turn back to them. "If you are ever south of here. There is a village called Outkast. They'll help you as much as they can." Yasha looked distrustful and Kagome looked interested. "Why would they help us?" Kagome asked.

I smiled. "Well I founded the place, so I have a little pull…." Inuyasha just looks at me in disgust. "Licking the boots of weak humans." I glare right back. "Those weak humans are former demon slayers as well as current, not to mention some impressive mikos. If that's not enough we also have a few hanyous and demons there as well!"

Kagome looked excited while Inuyasha looked shocked. "Wow, a mixed village, that's so neat!" I look proud. "Yeah, we are the only one though. I'm hoping others will realize that we are all not so different from eachother, powers aside." Inuyasha looks to be in thought. Well, at least I shut him up. I know he has anger issues but DAMN!

I start walking away from the well. Without turning around I tell them "We'll meet again so take care of yourselves."

Once I get far enough away I slump. Damn, that was tough. Well, as first impressions go it was better than most of my other ones. Hell, only Inuyasha tried to kill me. Though I got thrown down the well head first it still went pretty good. Now I have to look for jewel shards. Well, at least its something new. Also there's no Naraku this time so it should go MUCH easier. I think about visiting Miroku's temple to see his descendants or visit the demon slayer village. In the end I decide not to. It's not their fight. Miroku and Kohaku were caught up in the crossfire of Naraku and his evil plans. There's no need to get anyone else involved with that cursed jewel. It only knows how to bring pain and misery.

As I walk I think to myself about a jewel I have kept out of mind since after Naraku. Created from the purity of a mighty priestess and the evil of a monstrous demon. Two total opposite stuck into one piece of glass. I look at my claws. On that day so long ago I said the jewel was a hanyou in jest. Now that I think about it that is a good description of the jewel. Like a hanyou when it becomes too filled with dark emotions it turns into a monstrous creation. When in balance it shines with a beautiful light. To be totally purified the jewel must be purged of the evil inside it. But is the evil the demon part or the human one? My friend would probably bash my head in for this question but its something I think is important.

Humans can be just as evil as demons, even more so. Naraku was once a human and look how evil he was. My father was a demon and yet he was more noble than some of these human rulers the people are subjected to. So which is evil? Both. Which are good? Both. Damn, I have paradoxes…That's EXACTLY what the jewel is. A damn paradox. Existing in two time periods, bringing evil to both. There has to be balance. There is no good without evil. No light without darkness. Too much light we burn. Too much darkness we freeze. Is there a way to destroy evil totally, probably not. Would I do it if I could? I….can't say.

There is a purpose for everything in life. Very rarely does something exist just to exist. With me being in this introspective mood I can't help but try to imagine the world without evil. Without struggle. It would be…..boring for one. Also people would probably atrophy and decay. Why train when there is nothing to fight? Why fight at all? People will just…..exist. Be in just a rut. Why create new weapons when we have nothing to fight? Some weapons research yields advancement. Look at the atomic bomb. We created a whole new power source from it. Best case scenario with no evil. We advance everything in technology without any thought to defensive and offensive capabilities. If we find one hostile being we are dead. Evil, or the fight against it, keeps us strong. It keeps things in perspective.

Right now Inuyasha needs perspective. He's living in the moment with no real thought of the right and wrongs of his actions. I was like that as well but there was one thing I ALWAYS kept on my mind. "Would I like this done to me?" or "What would I want in that situation?" I try to keep myself centered on others by knowing how I'd react given certain situations.

Bah, dark thoughts. The jewel is doing its work already…Now I have to travel and hope I get lucky. Well, I've been doing that for years so go with your strengths…

Two weeks. TWO damn weeks and NOTHING. Big fat zippo. Crap. I would think it would be a bit more….I don't know. More carnage than usual. So far all the demons I've killed are the same in one way. All weak and when I kill them they stay dead. None of them have any pieces of the jewel. Now I know WHY everyone flocked to Kagome. A shard detector would be reeeeeeeaaaalllly helpful about now. Crap. I might have to go back to find Yasha and Kagome….damn I can't DO that! They need alone time for her to work her magic. As I walk I can't help but think I'm forgetting something. Something important having to do with Kagome…..well it'll come to me. Besides she has Inuyasha by her side. She'll be fine. I'm probably remembering something stupid.

One week later.

I pass by a village when I catch a scent of something. It….it can't be….She's dead. I HELD her as she died. How is this possi……oh SHIT! THAT'S what I forgot. I'm so STUPID! Bakabakabakabakabaka. Kikyo got revived when some witch stole her ashes. Crap. And she's a soul sucker. Double crap. Well, I may as well see how my favorite dead girl is doing.

I watch her from the bushes playing with the children. She always loved children. When we wet to a village she could baby-sit the entire village's children for HOURS. She would have made a good mother….

She shoos the children away. Hmm, she probably senses me. To confirm this she asks for the person in the bushes to come out. Of course she had her arrows out…

I come out with my hands raised. "Hey Kikyo, long time no see. She scowls. "What do you want Inuyasha? Do you still want me to die?" I look at her confused. I look down. Yup I still wear my blue kimono. I look back at her confused. "Kikyo, its me, Tomasaru. Come on, you know I don't like red." She looks straight ahead with her no nonsense stare. I try to lighten her up. "Come on, you know red would like, totally, clash with my sword!" I smile. She doesn't. Well shit. Whats up with her….?

"Kikyo, come on, stop playing around. We spent more than a YEAR traveling together. Don't you remember the villages, Kohaku, Miroku, the Kamis, Totosei? ANYTHING?" I was getting a bit freaked out. I thought she'd remember. Hell why WOULDN'T she? Its not like it was forgettable. She just stares at me coldly and pulls tighter on her bow. "I remember only until I sealed Inuyasha to the tree with my sacred arrow." No….no way. Everything we did. All we accomplished. She couldn't have lost it ALL!

"Kikyo, you HAVE to remember! Hell, ask Kaede. She hates me but at least she'll tell you the truth!" She stares at me evenly. "What is the truth?" I stand up straighter. This is something I always feared. In my nightmares Kikyo had her bow drawn, liten t me confess my sins and shoots me. "You died because of me. Because I couldn't save you".

"You are responsible for my death?" I look her dead in the face and swallow. "Yes." She still looks at me coolly. "Why do you tell me this. Do you wish to die by my hand?" I shake my head. "It's….not that. I promised you, PROMISED you I'd protect you. I also…I also wouldn't lie to you, ever." She smiled at that. But it wasn't the smile I remember from her so long ago. This was full of dark amusement. Like I told her something she knew was false. "How convenient. Telling me you will say no lie when I do not remember you. Why you have swayed me already!" I square my shoulders. Fine, you want proof, lets do it!

"How about I tell you about yourself? Things you never told anyone, not even Inuyasha. I know because you told me you didn't tell him!" She just slipped back into her mask. "Fine, if you are wrong you die." I close my eyes. Remembering all the stories we shared, all the laughs and the tears. "When you were five your miko powers surfaced. People were told a miko felt the power within you then and decided to train you. But that wasn't it. You were playing with your cat, you called her Fuzzy because when she got wet her hair puffed out and made her look like a huge hairball. You were petting her one day and felt a tingling. Not knowing what it was or how to stop it you incinerated Fluffy. The only thing left was smoking remains. You ran to your house but you mother called you a witch. You friends started making fun of you and you hurled a stone at one of them accidentally charging it with your energies. Your friend, Kimiko's head shattered splashing you with her remains. In shock you stayed there for hours until the miko found you. Want me to go on to some more things?"

Her bow dropped halfway through my little monologue and she fell to her knees at the end. "I….not even Kaede knows that…." I nod. "I also know that's why you were always so serious and dedicated to your studies. In their memory and to insure it NEVER happened again." She shook her head and seemed on the verge of fainting. I don't know if the dead COULD faint and if they did would she need to suck more souls…..hmm, we have to fix that.

I thought of what I could do. I definitely wasn't going to kill her. I just couldn't do that. I know of a few people but they really don't know much about this sort of thing. I can think of one thing. When you don't know who to go to, go right to the top!

"Kikyo. I think I know of someone who can help. He's someone you met….well, met before….that you don't remember but he'll know you!" She smiled a little like how she used to. I really hope she'll remember everything. "Who is it?" I respond, "Well, its the Kami and Life and Death. Oh yeah, and the Sky. He looks really old and….hey, you ok?"

She looks at me angrily. "I do not need to to….patronized like this!" Oh, yeah I guess saying we are going to see God would sound a little farfetched. "I'm serious, totally, completely, honestly serious. Please trust me!" Her face looked at me in shock before shaking her head. "Why should I trust you? I don't even KNOW you!" I smile and scratch the back of my head. "You know me, and I know you. I know it's a lot to take in. I know it sounds fake and totally untrue but it is. All I ask is a few days of your time. If I lie you can do whatever you want to me. Please Kikyo, let me help you."

"I do not need your help!" she said in contempt before turning and walking back to the village. Oh Kikyo, why oh why do we have to do things the hard way? I hit her in the back of the neck and she drops like a sack of potatoes. I catch her before she falls and lift her up in my arms. I mutter deja vu and go to find some rope like I had to do with her last time.

My ears were burning. I learned a lot on how a miko's powers work so I effectively shielded myself from getting zapped. I actually came up with it when we traveled together the first time. I never showed her I could do that. I let her believe her little shocks hurt. The ear pulls though….THAT hurt. Anyway, Kikyo was proving to me once again why she could peel the bark off a tree with her insults. Damn, I think I heard a few new ones too. Kikyo is cool and in control when in a normal situation. Being thrown over my shoulder like a rug while she is tied head to toe in rope is not a normal situation for her……well the Kikyo from before the jewel chase. Anyway I've made good time and am hopping up the mountain we traveled on so many years ago to bring the immortal tengue, Sango, home to her daddy. I got to the summit. Crap, how do I open the door?

I put Kikyo down and rub my chin in thought. She looks at me and smiles. I know THAT smile. "Can I shoot you now?" I gulp. "Not yet, I can figure this out!" She just growls and squirms more. Crap. Sango opened the door last time. How did she do it? What was it Kikyo said….the blue giant entered at the word…

"Challenge. I am here to challenge!" Kikyo just ignored me and tried to loosen her bonds when a huge door appeared in the middle of the summit. As the door opened the jolly blue giant stepped out. He looked at me and Kikyo and sighed. "What do you two want THIS time?" I smiled nastily at him. "Remember that favor your master offered us. I'm here to collect!"

We enter through the doorway and I see the familiar throne room. Then I see the familiar Kami who looked like the Ancient from Kung Fu the Legend Continues. "I know why you are here and it is foolhardy at best!" I smile, desperate hope swelling. "Foolhardy, but NOT impossible, right?"

He shakes his old head sadly. "I may be a powerful Kami, but I am not omnipotent. Only the creator can give birth to souls." I shake my head. "She's got a soul. I need you to give her a human body and make the soul permanent!" He looks at me sadly and gestures to Kikyo, knocking her out. "She has a soul, yes but incomplete. It is possible to create a new soul from this piece of one but there is too much anger and darkness. Will you condemn her to hell for your own selfishness?" I look down. It WAS selfish to want her back….but….but…

"I won't let her fall into hell. I'll drag her to heaven if I have to kicking and screaming. I know this is a big chance but we can do it!" The Kami looks at me sadly before making a gesture and talks. "Do you know of fate and destiny? They are undeniable. Inescapable. Unstoppable. It was Kikyo's fate to die. And she did. It was her fate to be brought back as she was. It has happened. The only thing standing in the way is yourself. You are but one person. You cannot stop fate nor can you change destiny."

I clench my fists. I look up at him in fury. "Fate, destiny? Forget it. The only fate I make is by myself. I shape my destiny with my own hand. I will NOT allow anything to happen to Kikyo again. I failed her once by every God in EXISTENCE I will not fail her again!" He just shakes his head. "You can not stop what is to come. Destiny is always in motion. It cannot be stopped by a pebble in the road." I just stare harder at him. "If I do nothing destiny and fate will run its course. If I do it STILL will run its course. No, I don't buy that! I have a choice. I have free will! I will NOT allow this to happen! Now I am calling in my favor, can you do it or not?"

He looks at me in regret. "There will be consequences young one." I nod my head. "There always are. But I'm going to make sure I am the one who bears it. Kikyo WILL have a normal life, live to be a normal woman just like she's always wanted even if I have to kill every god in Japan to do it!" I was shaking in anger. Were lives really so meaningless? Did destiny mean no matter what you did or how hard you tried if you were destined to fail you would? No. I REFUSE to believe that whatever created us did so in such a clinical way! I was sent here to help. I can't believe that I would be placed here to watch helpless to change anything…

"Very well. Realize this young one. Her fate is sealed as is everyone you know. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, everyone that you know has a fate that they cannot escape. Kikyo's also. You may alter the river of fate's direction, but you can not stop its flow. Kikyo was destined to die at the hands of Naraku. You changed that fate and she lived a bit longer. However in the end she died at his hands. That amount of time she was never supposed to have so it was blanked from her being. She will probably NEVER remember all you went through together." I look at Kikyo's still form. Everything we went through. Everything SHE went through. All our joys, all our sorrows. EVERYTHING was taken because she wasn't SUPPOSED to have it. No support, no friends, no help…..no hope.

"It…..it doesn't MATTER! She may not remember but **I** do. I remember everything we ever talked about. I remember her laughs and I remember her tears. I remember….what she said she always wanted. I'm going to give that to her. For everything she's ever done for everyone…..and everything she's done for me." The Kami looked at me sadly. "You cannot stop what is to come alone. Her presence is needed. She will not have rest nor peace. She will fight…..and she will die. What we are discussing is if she will be reunited with her entire soul or be damned with part of it." I clench my fists. Damn it Kikyo, what can I DO? What should I do?

I suddenly remember one night at camp. It was toward the end of our journeys together. She smiled and asked me "What are you thinking about?" I looked at the sleeping Miroku and Kohaku. I shrug. "Thinking if we are all going to make it once we get to Naraku. He's damn tough, and with the jewel he'll probably be unstoppable. I'm wondering how we are all going to survive that? What can I do against power like that?" I remember I saw her smile at me. It was a smile full of hope and promise of a better tomorrow. "Trust yourself Tomasaru." I looked at her confused. My ears were at different angles. "You care too much about all of us to allow something to happen to any of us." I shake my head. Kikyo wasn't the type of woman to be naïve. "I'm not THAT powerful. I can't protect us all. How can you look at me and say that I could?" Her expression never wavered. "I know you Tomasaru. I know you will do everything in your power. Fight the very heavens for us. That is why I trust in that you will do what is right. Not only because you think it's right because it simply is."

That memory was days after I got my new sword and we were following the compass the Kami I am facing gave us. I look at Kikyo's prone form. Can I trust myself? Is what I'm doing just for my own selfishness? In the end, am I just no better than Naraku in trying to possess Kikyo? Another memory flashes. Kikyo looks at me in my embrace. I whisper to her "I want to see you happy." She looked a little sad. "Even if it's not with you?" I replied that whoever made her happy I'd make sure she had.

It may be tough. It will be dangerous. But I have to do this. I won't let her fall into hell. If she does I will personally go down there and get her out! I look at the Kami in determination. I say two words "Do it!" He looks disappointed but complies. Kikyo glows with a bright, white light. It seeps into her very being. In a few seconds the light show is over. "She is now human and her soul is her own. Since it is a piece of her original soul it will grow and shape itself on its own accord. I pray that the darkness in her heart does not deform it." I look at her and I say with confidence. "It won't. She won't let it and neither will I"

He just looks tiredly at me. "Leave, the debt has been repaid. I hope you do not come to regret your decision this day." I mutter to myself "Me too"

I carry Kikyo off the mountain. I put her down gently and go to gather some firewood. It'll be getting dark soon. When I return I find she is awake and looking over her body with something akin to awe. "Like the new you?" I say to her. She looks up at me. Its not a happy expression It's full of anger. "How DARE you do this tome without my permission! You are no better than that witch that resurrected me!" I put my hands up. Damn, can't a hanyou win ONCE!

I look at her and reply "Well why WOULDN'T have you wanted it. You now have a human body so you can eat like a regular person. Your soul is now once again your own so you have nothing to fear from Kagome sucking it back up. Also, a bit of a bonus, you don't have to suck up souls anymore. I'm sure dead children, you know like the ones you played with in the village, will be happy to know their immortal souls can be laid to rest instead of consumed!" Kikyo just crossed her arms and looked stubborn. Damn it….

She then looked thoughtful. "How did you know I feared my reincarnation from stealing my soul?" Oh flaming piles of dog crap…Well, may as well go with the edited truth.

"Well I met Kagome, your reincarnation. You are here. Only have a piece of your soul. I talk to a Kami about your condition. Do any of these things give you the clue I wasn't making things up as I go along?" Heh, sarcasm and deflection 101.

"So what will you do with me now?" I sigh. That's the million dollar question. "Well, it depends on you. You're free Kikyo. REALLY and TRULY free. You have your life back, your soul. You can do what you want, be what you want."

She looked expressionless at me. "And what do you expect for this?" That comment hurt. Especially coming from her. I remind myself she doesn't remember me and continue. "I want you to be happy. That's all I EVER wanted from you. So this is what I am offering. I have a village. You are free to go there and do whatever you want to do, be whoever you want to be. The only thing expected of you is to pull your own weight in the village. You're free to go or stay." She locked her eyes on me. "If I choose to leave." My heart ached but I was relentless. "Then you leave. No one will follow you. You are not a prisoner. Not mine and not of Fate. Not any longer. You're free Kikyo." She's starting to look a bit torn.

"Look, go to the village, see how you like it. If you don't you got all of Japan you can go not to mention your sisters. The world is open to you now Kikyo. Its finally your choice." She looked at me and I can see the gears turning in her head. "Show me this village. I will decide for myself where I will stay." I nod. That was the best I could hope for anyway.

I guess I'll stop here. I could go on but I want to post what I have and get some feed back. I'm trying to make this bigger. Like Al Pacino said on Any Given Sunday, "I don't mind you making mistakes, I'm not going to eat your lunch….but if you're gonna make a mistake, make them BIG!" Hope you are all enjoying my mistakes!


	2. Chapter 2

New Chapter! Woooohooooo. Ahem. I won't rant about reviews anymore since I am on vacation at the moment and can't upload chapters. I'll have to see how much I can write. I'll complain about no reviews AFTER I upload the new story arc -. Disclaimer. I own nothing on Inuyasha, you own nothing on Inuyasha, WE HAVE NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

The walk to the village was silent and uneventful. Man, I felt awkward! Here is the woman I love walking right next to me and I can't say anything since she doesn't know me and I don't want her thinking I'm obsessed with her like everyone else in her life. Well, obsessed in a bad way. Damn, why is my life so complicated?

We got the village and she looked around in awe. Well, at least I got to show her my village, the village I really built for her. A few demons and humans stopped to say hello to me and ask who the new visitor was. I downplayed things as best I could. Of course things had to get shot to hell.

"Lady Kikyo!" Nena was running faster than a woman pushing her years should be able to. She took Kikyo's hand and had a few tears running down her eyes. "Lady Kikyo…how is this possible? You died! I know you did. There's no way you would let Tomasaru run himself into the ground like he's been doing for years!" Nena, shuuuuuut uuuuuuup! I grit out "Nena, control yourself! Kikyo….doesnt remember you. She doesn't remember me. Everything from the time the jewel was stolen is a blank for her."

She looked at me with horror lining her features. Yeah, she knew what that meant. Kikyo simply looked at our glances then back at the woman holding her hand. "So I know you as well?" Nena nodded. "Yes, you and Tomasaru, as well as a Miroku and Kohaku saved me when my village was destroyed by Naraku. The demon who slaughtered my village." Kikyo looked blankly ahead. "I did, did I?"

OK, I know that voice. Kikyo thinks this is a set up. A big fat set up. I have to move quick. Any kind of pressure on Kikyo and I know the arrows are going to start flying. "Well, enough on the past she can't even remember. She needs a place to stay for a while until she decides what to do." Nena make an agreeing noise as she looked at me. Kikyo then took her hand back and excused herself to go exploring the village. As she walked away I couldn't help but watch her. Nena noticed this. "So I take it you'll be staying for a while Mog-chan?" I was about to say yes, well more like shout it when I had a thought that sent a shiver down my spine. If I stayed I would look at her more. I might say something or do something that could push her off the deep end. She is a very solitary person, at least the old her was.

I shook my head sadly. "I can't." Nena looked surprised and outrages. "Kami Tomas, what is WRONG with you? You've been in mourning for decades and when the woman you love actually come back from the dead you STILL won't stay in one place long enough to enjoy it?" I turn my angry gaze to her and she looks startled. I've only been angry with her a short few times. "Damn it I want that TOO much! Can't you understand? To that woman I am a stranger. Worse a stranger that might feel she owes them a debt. If I stay, if she sees the way I look at her she might just decide to repay it in a way only a lowlife would take. If she offered, oh Nena, if she offered I don't think I COULD refuse! Then whatever good we've had, all the memories of friendship and trust will utterly be destroyed. I HAVE to leave. I can't trust myself around her. Especially now that I know more about her then she's let anyone know before."

She just shook her head. "Let her get to know you then. Just dropping her off here like some kind of package and leaving the village like a pack of demons is on your heels is not a way to earn her trust either!" I shake my head. "I'll stay for a few days, then I'll go. I still have pieces of the jewel to find. Try not to tell her about that either. If she asks about the jewel tell her, don't lie. I don't want to burden her with this. I told her she was free and I'll do what I can to keep her that way."

Nena smiled at me the way she used to as a child. "Mog-chan, you're hopeless!". I give her my best grin. "You know it!"

I lasted three days. After that I HAD to leave. Watching her in the fields or caring for the children, even the demon and hanyou ones, my heart was just bursting out of my chest. It took more effort than I thought possible to stop myself from putting a hand on her shoulder or hugging her from behind. Giving her a quick kiss or a intimate look. I had to leave before I caved in. I told Nena to tell everyone I had to leave and help someone. At least my lifestyle makes such a weak sounding excuse plausible. Only Nena and probably Kikyo knows the true reason. I really want to kill something!

As if the Kamis themselves heard me the ground shook. I leapt and the ground beneath me grew and snapped as if attempting to devour me. A head forms from the dirt and soil. It looks like a dirt dragon…or worm…or snake….well whatever it is, it tried to kill me so its fair game! I grab the hilt of my sword and draw it in a quick motion. I send a small wave of cutting air pressure which splashes harmlessly off its thick hide. Well, it is more durable than the other demons I fight. I grab the hilt of my sword with both hands and place the blade straight in front of me. I blur and immediately move the sword to my side in a two handed grip. I cut open the beast as quickly as my skills allow. To the casual onlooker it would look like I blurred and appeared on the opposite side of the earth beast. It lets out a confused sound before it collapsed in a heap of cut pieces of dirt. I sheath my sword. Damn, too easy.

I leap out of the way of a dirt tail that tried to flatten me. I look back to see the demon pull itself together. Hmm, nothing could have lived through that last attack. Using a skill I taught myself I look at the lines of power of the demon. All living things have power. It what keeps people alive. The dimmer the power, the weaker the person. Even the walking dead must be powered by something. I look at the creature and I smile. A jewel fragment. Now I can't see the jewel like Kagome and Kikyo can. It's more of a deduction of where the jewel is than actually seeing it. As I said all living things have power inside them. The jewel is an outside power source, totally different than a creature's natural power. I see the lines of energy empowering the creature. Where those lines are is where….THERE! I blur and dig my claws deep and pull out the fragment. I jump away to watch the demon turn to dust. I look at the jewel in disgust.

That's the other thing it seems with the jewel. It will grant you power, but your natural power will grow dependent on it. So if the jewel is removed your body won't remember how to use its energy anymore and collapse. At least that's true for the weak, stupid demons. The smarter ones manage their energy wiser and use the jewel as a supplement to their own power, not a replacement. I put the jewel shard in a pouch. I don't want to be touching that thing for too long.

Hmm, I seem to be a demon magnet. I've been attacked about three times the past day. Usually demons are a lot quieter around me. Keeps them alive longer. Huh, I see a humanoid demon. Those are the real powerhouses of demons. Forget the ones that are big as houses. He smaller, human ones have power and know how to use it. It has silver hair down to its shoulders and deep blue eyes. It smiles and attacks me. Hmm, uses a sword too. Well, its his funeral. I unsheathe my blade and lock swords with him. Why is he smil…..AHHHHH!

I jump away smoking slightly. I see his blade wreathed in electrical energy. Damn, it went through my sword like it was normal metal. It struck with that I'm ashes. I unleash a Kuu Ha Zan. I think putting a little distance between us is prudent. He smiles and blasts through my wind attack with a lightning bolt that….crap! I put my sword in front of me and hastily create a barrier. His attack blew me right off my feet and through my barrier. It soaked up a lot of the power but I still felt like I took a five minute seat in the electric chair. Damn. "Who are you?" I demanded.

He just smiled at me. "My master wishes your death, nothing personal" He flings another bolt at me but I have the time not to evade. Crap. Time for the big guns. I center my energy and his. "Wind Scar!" I cry. He just places his sword out in front of him and it glows with energy. As the power wave hits his sword it parts. Leaving him unscathed and the area around him demolished. Shit, he's good….

He smiles and blurs. Reacting out of instinct I duck and swing my sword. We clash blades again. As he smiles I kick him right in the chin and roll away as his power burns away the nearby vicinity. I need to hit and run with this guy. If I stay in one spot for even more than a second he'll flash fry me. He closes in on me again as I think about how I can kill this guy. Decapitation works for pretty much anyone but I don't know how I can get him into that position. Damn, I need to make that position….wait. I got it.

Just then he flashes with power and I can see the sky turn black. It starts crackling and…."Oh SHIT!" I dive to the side as a huge bolt of lightning crashes to my position. I am not quite as quick as lightning so I take most of the impact. I might have blacked out in pain for a second or so during my electrocution. I struggle to move my limbs as the torrents of power made them feel as weak as noodles. I can blurrily see the demon approach me. Damn it….I can't die yet. I can see it smile as the wind blows its hair into its face. I….can't fail. His sword lifts to take its death stroke. Kikyo….her name gives me a surge of strength as I block a blow that would have cut through my heart. "I….will LIVE!" I push him away before he can really use his power to shock me through his sword again. I'm in a frenzy. Kikyo is here. If I die she could still fall into hell. I have to live, just so that I can see her on the right path.

I look at him with murder in my eyes. I won't let this….NOBODY kill me. I sheath my sword and look at him. Its time for the final attack of the Hiten Mitsurugi. I run at him and blur. In this instant I unsheathe my sword going faster than the Godlike speed Hiten Mitsurugi masters train to attain. I appear at the other side of the demon. He looks at me and laughs. "You missed" he taunted. Gasping for breath I walk away from him. "I don't talk with the dead." His laughing stops as his head rolls away from his neck and he turns to dust. I should be worried about his master but right now my body needs rest. I'm about a week away from Outkast and no other villages will take me in. Damn Ancient Japanese are bigoted, racist ass….damn my ribs. Kaede's village is closer, but if Kagome isn't there I doubt I would be welcome. Well, four days in this condition is better than a week in the other direction. I hobble for Kaede's village.

I gasp as I release another Wind Scar and destroy a few more demons. They are coming out of the woodworks! Every time I kill some they wait a few hours or so then attack again. Demons like these aren't THAT smart. They usually just all charge like mindless beasts. They are wearing me down slowly but surely. They are not allowing me time to rest or to tend my wounds. I am using my sword as a walking stick. I don't know if I'm going to make it. I've got a bad wound on my left shoulder and a nasty bite on my right leg not to mention all the small deep cuts all over my body. My kimono is in taters and whatever blue that's left have been long since stained red with my blood. A hanyou might be tougher than humans but we need rest to recover from our wounds, especially ones this bad. Ah crap. Another wave…..

"I….can….smell….village." I move with bloody single-mindedness. One step. One step…keep stepping. My blood drips in a steady stream and my vision become like a tunnel…an hour ago, hours…I have to walk to the smell. Keep walking. Anything that smells bad I kill. Walk….must walk. I reach the entrance of the village and I can hear whispers. Can't really….under…stand. I drop to one knee and I see…..Kikyo….am…I…dead…yet..?

I wake up in a soft bed. I look down and see that my wounds have been bandaged. I can't…remember much. After a day or two traveling I stopped remembering. My mind may have shut down to get my body here. I look around and see someone sleeping in the corner. Kagome? Probably is. Kami knows no one else in the village would help me! The corner is shadowed. I can't tell who it is and my senses are all screwed up. The person in the corner comments. "You are awake." I stiffen. It…can't be.

Kikyo steps into the light. She still looks indifferent but she has bags under her eyes. Probably from looking after me. "How…how long have I been here?" I wanted to ask how long she has but I don't want to piss her off while I am immobile in bed.

"You have been asleep for close to four days." I didn't really feel shocked. I got my ass kicked enough to know I would be out for a while after what I went through. "You….took care of me?" She nodded her head. "I went to visit Kaede as you suggested. After two days you showed up at the village in I smiled at her. "Thanks, its been a while since you've helped me through a beating like that." She merely nodded. "I am surprised though." Kikyo looked on with interest. "At what?"

"Well, coming her was a long shot. I figured if Kagome were here she could keep Kaede from finishing me off. But you were here. I'll also bet you kept her from killing me. So I was a bit surprised to be waking up at all" She shook her head. From what I don't know. "Kaede told me. Everything. At least from her point of view. It does validate some of your claims but raises more than a few questions." I look at her. I try not to let anything leak out of my expression but I don't know how successful I was. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

She looked at me evenly and pulled a chair up. Oh god, this is bringing up some very….I wouldn't say BAD but more like inappropriate memories. "Tell me everything! I want to know of this whole life that I seem to have forgotten. I want the WHOLE truth. Leave nothing out." I look at her. I desperately want to tell her but…."Can you tell me what you DO know? I'll tell you if its true or not." She didn't budge an inch. "Everything, now!" Crap, she used "the voice"!

So I talked. And talked. About our first meeting, how I tied her up at the village. Miroku, Kohaku, the chase for the jewel, tengues, Kamis, the final battle with naraku, EVERYTHING….except us. I don't want to get into that and we really don't need to. Besides, I promised her a normal life. A happy life. My life is neither normal or very happy.

She looked at me when I finished. "That is all?" I…look away. "All that matters now." Kikyo spoke after a minute. "They were right." I look at her in puzzlement. "Who was?" She smiled. It wasn't the smile I used to get from her but it was….a lighter smile. "I had a long talk with Nena. And from that talk I decided to confront Kaede to see if it was true." I gulp. "Wha…What talk? And what is true?"

She got comfortable. "You see after you left the village…."

Kikyo worked the fields. She seemed oddly satisfied with the labor. Tomasaru left a day ago and yet the village still spoke of him with high regard. That said something of the type of person he was. Either that or people were afraid to insult him even without his presence around. Kikyo decided to get some answers about her mysterious benefactor. She was surprised to learn that most of the villagers knew her. Well at least knew OF her. Apparently her exploits and that of the hanyou were near legendary. She went to the head of the village to seek her answers.

The woman, Nena, looked to be a wise woman. Kikyo got comfortable and asked "If it is all right with you, may I ask a few questions? I am still curious of my supposed life after sealing Inuyasha." Nena nodded. In truth she expected it. "Go ahead my dear. You and your friends saved my life, the least I could do is answer a few questions." So Kikyo asked about her life and her companions and Nena answered. Kikyo also noticed that the answers about Tomasaru were….hesitant. As if she had to think about how much to tell her.

"Can you tell me what sort of relationship I seem to have had with Tomasaru?" Nena looked like she was a dear in the path of a wolf. Straightening she replied "You two had a…..complex relationship. Mostly due to your relationship with Inuyasha." Kikyo nodded her head. "Yet that still does not explain just WHAT the relationship was. Though I do not know my feelings, I do think, perhaps, you know his. Will you tell me?"

Nena sighed. Tomasaru told her NOT to lie to Kikyo if this ever came up. Seems to come up sooner than anticipated. "He loved you….no LOVES you." Kikyo's lip curled in disgust as she muttered "I thought so." She made to get up but Nena stood up in anger and said "SIT!" As if she wore the rosary Kikyo's legs went numb and she sat back down at this surprising outburst.

"I KNOW you are having a tough time. You lost more than a year of memories. But DO NOT think ill of Tomasaru for how he feels. You think he's in it just to possess you or have your body than you are a fool! Let me tell you about the man you just thought was nothing more than a male pig! That man was at your side through thick and thin for a year. That man fought in a battle he should have lost for you. That man, at your request, took your body WITH the Shikon no Tama to be burned as you asked of him. That man, wracked with guilt traveled for over fifty years to atone for not being able to save you! You haven't seen him as I have. You have but you cannot remember. The man ran himself into the ground….for decades….STRAIGHT decades! Ask any in the village how long he stays when he returns. The most is a week! He kills himself day after day, FOR YOU! And you have the……NERVE to think he just wants a trophy or something? He even LEFT for you! He said he could not trust himself around you, that you are not mentally prepared for knowing how he felt. And he was RIGHT!"

Nena was crying midway through her speech. Even Kikyo could feel the raw sincerity coming off the elderly woman. She bowed. "I meant no disrespect elder" Nena just looked at her through teary eyes. "Now you know the truth. If you do not believe me, ask some of the villagers. They don't know everything about him. If you still stubbornly believe the worst in him go to your sister. Even though she hates him she will tell you the truth!" Kikyo nodded and left. A day later she traveled to meet her sister.

Kikyo entered the village. So looked nostalgic as she traveled the well worn roads. After asking a few villagers she found her sisters house. Entering she was met with the sight of her elderly younger sister. "Hello Kaede, I hope you are well?" Kaede just sighed. "Hello elder sister. Why are ye here? Ye know thou aren't truly human anymore."

Shaking her head Kikyo replied "Things change. I AM human now. I am here to ask you about the reason I am human once again." Kaede looked shocked. "Human again, how can this be? I know of nothing short of the divine that could accomplish this." Kikyo took a seat opposite of her sister. "The divine did play a part of it. I am here to ask about the person who set all of this into motion. His name is Tomasaru."

Kaede looked on in a bit of anger. "Ah, HIM. Why am I now surprised he was involved….that hanyou….he was able to make you human again when he failed to prevent your death all those years ago?" Kikyo just stared at her sister. Nena spoke the truth, Kaede DID hate Tomasaru. "Why do you hate him so?" Kaede's eye's flashed. "He be the reason you died. Said he'd protect yet in the moment of truth he failed. He traveled all over Japan helping and fighting for others yet he could not save the one person he claimed to love. He is nothing but a hypocrite!"

Kikyo felt something about those words. Perhaps anger but she did feel a burning sensation within her. "Is that so? So you believe his intentions are not honorable?" Kaede snorted. "I believe he wanted YOU. That is all I can tell of him. As for honor, though I hate him and think he be just another monster, he has honor. Simply bringing back the jewel and your body at your request was proof enough of that. I also have not heard a single rumor that he lies. Mind you I hear many worse rumors, though none accusing him of THAT." Kikyo just nodded her head. All these things she's heard. Something inside her is screaming at some of them as true while others not.

"…so I thought about what was said for a few days when you stumbled into town barely together and not all coherent."

I looked at her. Well, she got the story from Nena, and got another from Kaede. But one thing still bothers me. "What did you mean when you said you thought so? What did you think?"

She smiled at me. It wasn't a full smile yet, she still had her defenses up. "That you would not tell me of our relationship. You would not try to rekindle it or take advantage of it. Now I want to know, from you, no avoiding the question. What WAS our relationship?" God, how can I tell her? Damn it. I can't, I won't lie to her….why does it have to be so damn HARD?

I look into my lap. "I love you, of that I haven't a shred of doubt. I think you loved me. You never really said it though. We never….we never were intimate. We could have been, but I stopped us. I wanted you to talk to Inuyasha, get your head straight. We couldn't have betrayed him like that. I know I couldn't. We did sleep in each other's arms. We'd hold hands and knew each other well." Her expression betrayed nothing. Damn it, after all we've been through its back to square one!

"How did you come into such a state? I have heard that you are a master swordsman and a great warrior. How did you become so injured?" I looked at her, startled she cared to ask how I got hurt. I shrug. "I found a jewel shard, had a duel with a powerful demon, and was basically stalked all the way here. I'd be attacked every hour or every few minutes. Never given time to heal or recover. It took all I had to get here. I hope the demons haven't followed me here." Kikyo shook her head. "No, no demons. But why come here? You could have brought them down on to the villagers."

"Nah, no way. These things were pretty weak. Even the villagers wouldn't have a problem fighting them. Also even if Kagome and Inuyasha weren't here, Kaede is one tough woman. She'd have been able to take care of any demons. Hell, she almost got me a few times." Kikyo smiled at that. I hope it's the thought that I had so much faith in Kaede and not that she almost killed me. "What do you plan on doing?"

I shrug, wincing at the slight pain in my left shoulder. Damn, I got banged up! "I either give Kaede my jewel shard or give them to Kagome. Or I'll just find some more." Kikyo was looking at me with an unreadable expression. "After you heal your wounds, correct?" I decided shrugging hurt too much and answer. "I'll leave when I feel I can fight, which will be in about another day. Most of the dangerous injuries should be gone. I have to get as many of those jewel fragments as possible to get it together. It's easier guarding the whole piece than a hundred of them!" Kikyo looked to have her expressionless pissed face on. I can tell by her eyes. They are more expressive than she'd like.

"You will stay here until fully healed. I will not have all my efforts wasted if you die from fatigue by your injuries." I give her a winning smile "Don't worry, I've been in worse situations than this!" Kikyo looked like she was just slapped. "Uhh, you ok Kikyo?" Kikyo looked pale. "Wha…What did you say?" I rethought over what I said. "Uhm, I've been in worse situations than this, why?"

Kikyo seemed to be shivering a bit. "I…I thought I heard that somewhere before. It must have been nothing. A flash or something" I looked at her in interest. "Please, tell me. I won't judge, I'm just curious." She looked at me in anger leaned over and grabbed my right ear. Twisting it as she yelled down "IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS TOMASARU!" I yell and have tears of pain running down my cheeks. "OOOOWWWWWW, I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRY!"

Her cried and mine seem to have attracted some visitors. I see Kagome and Inuyasha looking at the scene in shock through the tears in my eyes. Kikyo looks at her hand that has a whole lot of my ear and lets go like she touched hot iron. I look at her through bleary eyes. "Of all the things you had to remember, it HAD to be the using my ear as a bow string?" She looked like she was going into shock. She was looking at me then her hand like it did something she never thought possible. I hear a strange male voice "Is everything all right in here? May we offer assistance?" I look at the owner of the voice and gasp in shock. In total reflex I blurt out "Miroku?" He's a lot paler that his great grandfather and no beard of course but I can see a striking resemblance. Kikyo looked at the monk with almost recognition on her face.

"I..I must go!" She ran out of the house and Inuyasha was close at her heels. Kami, what a damn day. I notice Kagome and Miroku looking at me. "How is it you know my name?" I smile at him. "You look a lot like your ancestor, also name Miroku" Miroku looked up in shock at me "Tomasaru, that's what she yelled...YOU are the hanyou that my grandfather knew?" I smile smugly. "Yup!" Miroku gets a look in his eyes that his ancestor had. The one that always got me in trouble. Nonchalantly he spoke "My family spoke of a name that a child of a village gave you…" I pale. Oh gods! Miroku, even from the grave you do this to me? "You say that name and by all gods I'll tear you up. Me and your great grandfather fought together, I don't have any such ties to you!" While yelling I notice his right hand is bound.

"What's the deal with your hand? Did his line all decide to wear rosaries as a sign of Naraku's curse?" He looked up in shock. "You know of how to get rid of the wind tunnel?" I blink. "What do you mean get rid of it? You don't even have it! When me and your ancestor killed off Naraku the curse on his line was lifted!" Miroku looked grim. "A little while after the jewel was shattered my father, grandfather and myself's right hand opened up. We all had wind tunnels. My grandfather and father are too old for traveling so I was sent to find out how we were cursed with our great grandfather's almost fate."

I frowned. "This makes absolutely NO sense! The only way that would happen is if….." My eyes widened with horror as I came to a realization I prayed was wrong but knew deep down it wasn't. The Kami's word still rang in my head when I argued for Kikyo's new chance in life. "Fate and destiny…." I mutter. Miroku seemed to be on the verge of hauling me out of bed "Who is responsible? WHO?" I look sadly at him. "Naraku."

He frowned. "I thought you killed him." I answered "So did I, but it's the only explanation I can think of. He can be the only reason the wind tunnels are active again." I frown as I remember the Kami's words. Everyone's fate was set. If it was Naraku's fate to spread misery and darkness then they brought him back to do just that….

Damn it! I don't care how he was brought back, I'm sending him back to hell. In as many pieces as I can! I struggle to get up when Kagome pushed me back down. Damn, I must be weak if Kagome can push me around. "You and your brother as soooo alike sometimes. Will it kill you to let your injuries heal?" I clutch my poor ear wounded in Kikyo's assault. "Well if they don't our nurses usually try to finish the job…"

Kagome looked a bit outraged while Miroku looked amused. "Is there a reason Lady Kikyo was so…..upset?" Yeah, that's putting it mildly monk. Kagome piped in "Yeah, I've never seen her so angry before."

I smile. "You obviously haven't been around Kikyo long enough. She can have a temper to rival any demon!" Kagome looked thoughtful while Miroku just nodded. "I was told stories about your adventures. It has been passed on through our families. I take it you took Lady Kikyo to see the Kami?" I nodded. It seems smarts were inherent in Miroku's line. Kagome's eyebrow twitched. I am treated to the sight of her doing a 180 open palm slap straight from the hip right into the monk's face. She turns back to me face bright red and eyes smoldering in anger. I guess he inherited some other quirks from his line….

"So you know a GOD? Wow, so what's he like, or she, or does it even look human, or…" I raise my hands. "Whoa, one thing at a time. He's a he. He looks like an old man. Yes I know him, yes I took Kikyo there and he gave her a human body and made her soul permanent. So your soul is yours and hers is hers. Oh, by the way, here." I toss her a fragment of the jewel I had. "There, hold on to it. When I get more I'll give it to you." Kagome looked at it. "Shouldn't you give it to Kikyo, I mean its her jewel and all."

I shake my head. "Its yours now. And truthfully, I'd rather you hold onto it. Kikyo deserves a break. Hell, she DIED for this damn jewel. Let her rest." Kagome hold the fragment to her chest. "What about you?" I learned not to shrug so I just look at her. "I've been fighting….for a long time. What's a few more?" I give her a weak smile. In truth I'm damn tired. I don't want to fight anymore. I used to enjoy it. The thrill, the rush. Facing opponents that were my better on so many levels but finding a way to win. Now though, now I just want to stop. I just want to stay in one place. I want to train others and just enjoy life instead of fighting for it. I can't though. I made a promise. I HAVE to keep it. And…..I'm going to fuck fate up! The people around me are going to live. Not only that they are going to live full and happy lives no matter what destiny plans for them.

I smell Kikyo….and Inuyasha. Kikyo enters the house first followed by my brother. They both look guilty. Well Kikyo looks guilty. Inuyasha looks angry at me and a bit of guilt is in there. Well, I'm too tired to care about this right now! "Have a nice chat you two?" They both looked at eachother. "It was…." Inuyasha cut in "..NONE of your business!" I just nod. Whatever Yasha.

Kikyo looked at me in worry. "Are you alright Tomasaru?" I look at her and give a bitter bark of laughter. "Alright, of COURSE I am. I've never felt better! Really!" I sigh. "Please, just get out. All of you. I'm tired. I've been chopped up, electrocuted, bitten, smashed, bruised, torn into, and generally mangled. I've also had what's left of my heart and pride take a headfirst dive into a pile of dragon crap. Please leave me be!" I get back onto a more comfortable position on the pillow and turn away from them. Damn it I am really screwed up both mentally and physically. I don't NEED this crap!

I wake up. It's evening and I am alone. Thank the Kami! But something woke me up. I hear a crash. That would probably be it. I go outside and see Inuyasha with the Teisaiga drawn fighting a man with golden hair wielding a pole arm. He seems to fire off blades of light that cut through things. Kikyo is evacuating the Villagers while Kagome is looking at Inuyasha in worry. I see Miroku a little next to Kagome on the ground. From his scent I'd say he's wounded pretty bad by the scent of blood. Great. Another battle. Gods, I want it to end…

I go back into the house and grab my sword. Inuyasha seems to be swinging his sword around like a club. I doubt he knows yet of the wind scar. I concentrate and fire off one. I hope he can duplicate it some day. The demon just evades the blast. Unfortunately the forest behind him didn't. Damn, I hate destroying the forest. The demon just smiled at me. "Hmm, you're the one that took out my predecessor? You don't seem like much" I smirk at him. "You interrupted my beauty sleep." He laughed at that. "Don't worry, you'll sleep for eternity!" The sad part is that is sounding rather good at the moment. He lashes at Inuyasha in a dismissive gesture knocking him off his feet and threw a few trees.

He thrusts his pole arm out and a burst of light blasts forward. I stumble out of the way. Damn, my wounds aren't healed yet…I look at my opponent….where did he…I look at my chest…a bloody blade is sticking out. How did he get behind…me….He pulls the blade out and I grunt in agony as I fall to my knees. I hear people crying my name. I turn slowly to face the demon. His silver eyes flash hungrily, eagerly awaiting my death. My death….would dying be so bad? Haven't I suffered enough? I look at his eyes, my sword lowers. I hear screaming. Would it be so wrong to give up now? I did what I promised. Kikyo doesn't seem to be falling into darkness. Inuyasha is awake now. He can handle things. His pole arm is swinging closer to me. I hear a teary voice "Don't die!" A voice that I could never refuse….damn it. So close….I roll forward underneath the swing and impale the demon in the waist with my blade. I turn it upwards and jump. After cutting him almost in half I gather my energy and cry out "Backlash Wave!" The golden tornado energy ripped him open and scattered his remains into the dust.

I fall to the ground in a heap. I couldn't….even land on my feet. I can hear so many voices, they are so garbled. Someone put my head in their lap…Kikyo…"Is…this just….a…memory..?" I mutter to her before I pass out yet again.

My eyelids are heavy. Man, I am getting tired of being used as a chew toy and pin cushion. I was almost….damn. I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. I never thought myself suicidal but after all the years, all the wounds, all the pain, and really nothing much good in my life could I really be blamed? I notice a woman in a chair sitting right next to my bedside. My heart aches. Why does she have to be here? Doesn't she know that her presence just twists a knife deeper into my heart? "Hey Kikyo…you don't look too comfy there" My voice jars her awake. She looks at me. I can see raw emotion in her eyes. Her hand flashes. SLAP! I hold my stinging cheek and look at her teary face in a bit of shock. Why the hell did she DO that?

My eyes flash. "Why the HELL did you do THAT? If that's the thanks I get for saving this stupid village then I'll let the place get leveled!" She looks at me defiantly if a bit sadly. "You were going to let that demon kill you, weren't you?" I try to keep eye contact, but I couldn't and turned to stare at the opposite wall. "What do you care? It's my life. How I choose to live it, or end it, is none of your business! I didn't let myself die since I don't think spirits can be in THIS much pain so why are YOU so pissed?" I was a bit angry myself. Damn it I don't have anything I want to stay in this life for. I did all I had to do. What more do people WANT from me?

She looked at me sadly. "You almost died." I look up at her in surprise. "Again, why do you care? I know you are not….the Kikyo I knew. You don't remember a thing about me. You don't remember…" How I feel for you. Damn, I should have let that damn pole arm gut me. It'd be less painful than having THIS happen!

She just looked at me. Damn it Kikyo, stop looking at me with those sad eyes. "I….remember some." I can feel my eyes widen and my heart quicken. "Y..You remember?" She shook her head. "Not everything, but some. I remember a battle with many….Narakus. I remember how you cut through them to get to me. I remember how we broke the real ones barrier. I just want to know something?" I feel my heart soaring. She remembers. She wants to know something, probably about US! This might work. Maybe I'm finally catching a break! "Anything" I tell her. She looks at me with an unreadable expression. "Why did I call you Mog-san?" I facefault. Damn it haven't I gotten the piss beat out of me enough!

I hear a chuckling. I look up from my angry internal dialogue to see Kikyo…smiling. Not only that but she's laughing. Nothing sinister, just a light, heartfelt laugh. I smile despite myself. She has a wonderful laugh. I playfully pout. I'm getting in a better mood. "Yeah yeah, figures you'd remember something like THAT!" She just smiles at me a bit more. She leans in and I gulp. "I also remember something….." I lick my suddenly dry lips. Come on Kikyo, I'm injured here….Her hand brushes along my right ear. I freeze in stark terror. I look up at her with a fear stricken gaze. She smiles down at my reaction. "Not THAT you big baby!" She then lightly scratches it. Oh GODS. She remembered THAT spot. I lean into her hand and my eyes close reflexively. After that night at Totosei's she'd get into rubbing my ears a lot. I couldn't help but whimper in a low voice filled with emotion. "I missed you so much…."

I felt her stop so I opened my eyes to look at her. She looked at me with a….I don't know what to say was on her face. It was a mix of happiness, fondness, and even sadness. She is such a COMPLEX person. "I know. With my memories and all that I've been told I must ask you something." I was feeling relaxed and surprisingly good. The tightness and sense of loss I had for….well since Kikyo died is gone. I feel like a new hanyou! I nod at her in a happy, content way. She smiled again only this one was one that I knew was bad. The ear that she petted with such affection was placed back in a tight, unmerciful grip.

"What in all HELLS were you THINKING?" My eyes just welled up with tears. Damn it I'm injured…."How could you be so STUPID? Blaming yourself for my death when I TOLD you not to heal me with the jewel! And the wandering for fifty years? Damn it Tomas! You had NOTHING to atone for! Why in all the hells would you put yourself THROUGH all that? Nena-chan told me about what you put yourself through and Kaede gleefully confirmed it. Why, why torture yourself so much that you'd seek to end your own life?" Her voice started cracking almost at the start of her tirade and her tears were flowing at the end. I grab her limp hand off my ear and hold it on the bed.

I looked at her in a sad but certain gaze. "I let you die. You told me not to use the jewel but I listened. I could have not and healed you. I saw you die, saw the….light, your life just slip away. Gone. How the HELL should I have felt! I had to watch as your body was consumed by flames to add to it. When you died you took a large part of me with you!" I look down angrily and took a few deep breaths. "After….I had to wander. I had to move. Everything I saw was a reminder of you. I couldn't fight them….memories. I would have just wallowed in them. So I decided not to. I decided that I wanted to make sure what happened to us WOULD NOT happen to anyone else. So I wandered. And….for every life I saved, for every piece of happiness I gave to someone else. I felt whatever happiness in my life slowly drain away." I look at her with a bitter smirk.

"Oh it didn't start out that way. At first I was happy and proud I could help people like that But then I started looking at all the happiness around me and started to get jealous. find happiness. The closest thing I had was making other people happy but after a while all I wanted was a bit of happiness for myself. I started wandering to look for that as well as to help others. I also made a promise that I would make a world that you'd be happy to live in. So I kept moving and kept fighting. But…I was getting tired. So tired. I was at the point where I just didn't want to fight anymore. At the point of just not caring about anything anymore. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of being reunited with my brother one day. I created Outkast and things looked brighter. I was making a difference to others but I made no real progress or difference to myself."

"Then, I see the damn jewel is back. My brother is alive again and can't stand the sight of me. Then….I see you and you are dead and can't even remember me. I bring you back but I have to make sure not to even look at you for fear I might drive you deeper into the darkness inside of you. Then I keep getting attacked and attacked. And I wondered, Why AM I fighting so hard to stay alive? I saved a few villages, made one of my own tolerant to humans and demons, gave you back your life and future, got a jewel shard for Inuyasha and Kagome. What was left for me? What do I need to live for?" I look at her with the pain and isolation I've felt and inflicted upon myself for years. "What do I need to live for….." I turn away. She has her answer and then some.

I feel her hand under my chin as you tilts my head toward her. I see her eyes full of sadness. "Oh Tomas…" Her eyes then got hard "TOMASARU NO BAAAAAKKKA!" and she slammed a fist down right into my head. Damn it, I'm injured!

"I can not believe how monumentally stupid you are!" I looked indignant. "Hey, you asked, I told. Its how I felt!" She shook her head. "I die and you fall to pieces…" My ears fall a little at that. I STILL don't like remembering she died. She saw my reaction. "Tomasaru, you are a warrior. You have seen and dealt death countless times. You should not have let my death affect you so!" I felt hot anger rise in me. "Who are YOU to tell me how I should have felt? It's easy for the dead, its hard for the living left behind. You don't like how I dealt with your death, well TOUGH! It was the only way I could deal with it with some semblance of sanity. I could have just followed you. I did think of it A LOT of times…" Now she looked saddened by that. "I don't want you dying for me Tomasaru." I looked at her. "I won't…as long as you don't die on me!" She looked a bit shocked. I press on. "I've been without you….for a long time Kikyo. I can't, I won't go through that again. We live together or we die together."

She looked sadly on me. "What if I do not wish to BE with you?" I know she saw the pain in my eyes. I know I felt it. Being impaled paled in comparison to the pain I was feeling. "You know I will not force you. If that happens, truthfully, I don't know what I would do. I might just wander until some demon gets lucky or I might just throw myself into a battle I can't win. Either way you won't have to worry about me and you can just be happy…" I look away. I don't even want to THINK about thinking that she doesn't want to be with me. She roughly grabs my chin and jerks my head toward hers. I see tears lining her face and her eyes are more angry than I've ever seen them.

"Damn you Tomasaru…" I gulp. This is going to hurt…

She presses her face against mine in a surprisingly soft kiss. My eyes are probably bugging out of my head. Damn, after fifty years she STILL can confuse the hell out of me. I feel the tension in my body just….flow away. I don't think I've ever felt THIS relaxed. I always was tense. I can feel her body just loosen and sag against mine. Damn, this is JUST like at Totosei's place…

I gently push her head away from mine as I gasp. She's right on my injured ribs but there's no WAY I was going to tell her to get off. I look up at her. "What are you feeling?" She smiles in a way I only remembered from days long ago. "I feel….happy." I smile at that as well. "So, what now?" She smiles in a way I've never quite seen. "What would you like to happen?" Oh boy, there's a loaded question if I were ever asked one. My jaw moves but no sound comes out of it. She looks like she is immensely amused by my reaction. Damn women….

I hear the sound of something scraping outside, a growl, a curse, a shush, and someone muttering about "The good part…" I growl myself and Kikyo looks confused. I guess we were both caught up in eachother that we didn't have our senses attuned to the world around us. "There are people outside." She blushes a bit and nods. She moves to get off but I hold her down. She starts to form a question when she sees the amused gleam in my eye. I pull her down and whisper. She smiles in a wicked way as well. Time to teach eavesdroppers a bit of a lesson.

Kagome is trying to shush Inuyasha's grown as well as keep Miroku away from the window. Honestly, those two were looking through the window like a bunch of perverts! She couldn't drag them away though to her credit she did try. One she got one away the other made themselves comfortable. She didn't want to interrupt the conversation inside but she wasn't getting anywhere. Suddenly she heard a low, guttural groan. Then she heard Kikyo's voice. "You like how that feels?" Tomasaru's voice floats in like he's on the edge of something. "Oh yeah, oh KAMI don't stop!" Kagome's face turns red as a tomato while Miroku's is starting to line with drool. Inuyasha's is just a mask of anger and confusion.

Another groan. "You like that spot?" Kikyo's voice says in a silky way? "God, if you keep doing that I'm not….going to last!" Kagome's body is going into a full body blush. She then turns toward Inuyasha and gasps. He's heading to the door with steam practically coming out of his ears. She grabs onto one of his legs and Miroku grabs onto the other. He still is dragging them to the door. They can still hear Kikyo's reply. "Don't worry, we can do this as….many times as you wish." Inuyasha just walked like he didn't have two people attached to his lets. He opens up the door and is stunned into silence. His brother is on his belly with Kikyo on top massaging him.

Pretending like I don't notice Yasha with his jaw on the floor I groan out like I've been doing. "Lower Kikyo, please lower!" Kikyo, I can feel, is trying to hold her laughter in. She speaks to me. "Are you sure you can…handle it?" I try to keep my face expressionless when I answer. "Do it, don't tease me like this!" I notice Inuyasha and they others are gone and I can hear them panting a ways away. I twist my body so I'm facing her. I smirk up at Kikyo to see a matching one as we both start laughing. As we stop laughing I notice that I have a beautiful woman on top of me and my shirt is off. I feel myself getting aroused. From her position on top of me I'm sure she can feel it as well. Gods….I want her. I see a matching look in her eyes. She leans down and kisses me. It feels wonderful. My body feels like its on fire. I see her slipping off her miko garb. I grab hold of it. I want to form a question but my voice doesn't want to tell her to stop. She notices my hesitation and correctly responds. "I told Inuyasha….about us. About what we feel. When I ran out earlier it was because of all the memories that were flooding me. He followed. I told him how I felt." I swallowed the lump I had in my throat. I wanted this but I also NEEDED to know "How do you feel?" She smiled wickedly at me and leaned close to my ear. She whispered "Let me show you…" and I felt a lick. I looked at the eyes of the woman I loved and, for the first time in over fifty years, gave a genuine heartfelt smile.

What followed later on in the evening is something ancient and natural between two people in love. If you want details use your imagination. There are SOME things that should be left unsaid. Just let it be known it was GOOD!

That's all with this chapter. I felt this was a good place to end things. The intimate scenes I am not going to really delve into. I COULD, but I really want this to be about feelings and story and not get into positions and poundings. This story is just flowing. I am not really following any kind of outline or anything, just writing whatever pops in the head. Well, see you all next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Hi everyone, chapter 3 here. I'd like to thank Tera Earth who gave a review of my first story arc. I also appreciate his comments on one of my chapters where Tomas has the runs! It was meant to be over the top and funny. I'm trying to keep this fic in the spirit of anime. That includes totally ridiculous situations that stem out of almost nothing. Keep the comments coming. I'll be happy to thank anyone that takes the time to tell me what they think. If you people take the time to read my story and tell me what you think the least I can do is write a thank you. After saying that I'd also like to thank nanohanasai who reviewed chapter 2 of this new story arc. And in response I'd say anyone taking a swing at Kikyo would learn why Hiten Mitsurugi was such a feared sword style! There is some bad language and words in this chapter. More so than usual. If you offend easy or don't like swearing please don't stick any federal or dogs on me. I'm a struggling writer, have some mercy. Anyway, disclaimer. I don't own Inuyasha or any other animes I write about. What I do have is creative insanity so all you money grubbing lawyers, YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

I woke up to the most wonderful sensation. I had something soft and warm in my arms. I tighten my hold on the woman of my dreams. It happened last night. I can't believe it did. I never, NEVER saw myself with Kikyo. But here we are. And I wouldn't change it for anything. I open my eyes to see her looking at me with soulful eyes. I kiss her nose. "Good morning. How are you feeling?" She smiled. No defenses, no false fronts. I am seeing Kikyo, the woman. "Happy." She smiles wryly. "And a bit sore.." I blush but don't look away. I just return the smirk. "Well, you need more practice if you want to keep up with me!" I puff my chest out. Her smile turns dangerous. "Are you saying you….practiced before?" I gulp a bit. Smiling widely I answer "Nope. I'm naturally talented." She just smiled a bit too artificially. "Hmm, I think you could be better." I look under the covers at her nude form. "Maybe we both need more practice?"

She smiled devilishly but it slid off and she sighed. "Maybe later. I don't think I can take anymore practice and I think we need to get up sometime." I feel a little disappointed but agree. If she felt even a bit uncomfortable I didn't want to push things. It was just INCREDIBLE last night…

We got dressed….slowly. We admired eachother and stepped out of the house. My injuries mostly healed. I may have strained myself last night but I'll happily take the pain as it comes today. She turned to me. "I must go out with Kaede today. I trust you will not get into any trouble today?" I smile at her. "Me, get into trouble. No way. Now trouble finding me, that's something else!" She rolls her eyes at me and pulls me in for a kiss. Mmm, I don't think I'll ever tire of this. I watch as she left, eyes transfixed on her backside. I hear a voice comment beside me. "Yes, it is a lovely example of womanhood." I turn to see Miroku's eyes transfixed on Kikyo's backside. I smash my fist into the top of his head.

"You are too much like your great grandfather, perverted monk!" He rubbed his bruised head but looked unperturbed. "What sort of follower of Budha would I be if I did not admire the beauty of the things around me?" I half snarl at him "Admire the damn trees and wildlife. Trust me it'll be safer!" And I crack my claws.

"Hey, Tomasaru!" I look to see Kagome waving at me with a red bundle wrapped in her chest. I approach and see the red furry bundle turn its green eyes on me. I look at the little boy and ask "Hey there little guy, what's your name?" The kid snarled at me. "My name is Shippo, and I'm no kid! Don't treat me like one…" He said the last part with a pout. I can't help but laugh a little. Kagome puts him down and I kneel to the little fox demon. "I'm sorry Shippo. But there is nothing wrong with being a kid. I was one once. Enjoy being one until you can't." He just looks at me. "Wow, you are NOTHING like Inuyasha!" I chuckle a bit.

"We may be twins but we are different people. He is who he is just like I am who I am." Kagome looked at me. "Wow, you seem to be in a better mood today." I just smile. "I had a good night". Miroku just looked at me. His eyes widened and opened his mouth when I blurred, slapped my hand to his mouth and growled into his ear. "Privacy monk, or I tear off your right arm and you don't have to worry about the Wind Tunnel!" He paled a bit but nodded. Kagome looked at me innocently. "So what did you do last night?" I blushed a bit. I didn't want to blurt out what we did last night so I bent the truth a bit. "I just had a good night is all. So where is Inuyasha?" Kagome growled in a good imitation of a demon. "That….JERK is in the forest. I had to sit him a few times last night. He was being completely nuts and was trying to charge into your house!" I nod. Inuyasha probably knew what happened. Hell the smell is still all over me. I walk over to his direction. "Me and my brother need to have a long talk so if you'll excuse me."

I found him easily enough. He was right by the God Tree. "Hey Yasha." He just glared at me and growled. He sniffs a bit and his eyes practically glow gold. He grips the Teisaiga hard. "You……" he growls low in his throat. I meet his furious gaze with a cool one. "Yea Yasha, I love her. I couldn't help that. She told me she told you, that's the only reason why I allowed it. I refused her fifty years ago." Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say since he unsheathed the Teisaiga and took a swing at me. I wasn't at a hundred percent but I easily evaded his clumsy swing. I jump a bit to give us more room. "You bastard! You have to take everything from me!" I jump again away from his swing but I know my face is confused. "What are you talking about Yasha?" He looked at me and I could not see the brother I loved when we were just children.

"The one person I loved and you took her away from me!" He swung. "First through her death…" He swung at me again. "…then when she comes BACK!" I use my sword to block his next swing and I get into his face. I am still calm. Why shouldn't I be? Yasha is not much of a threat since he doesn't know how to unleash the full power of Teisaiga and I finally have the woman I love. "Yasha, I was prepared to let her go to be happy. Can you do the same?" He jumped back and looked at me confused. "All those years ago, and even to the present today I waited for one reason. To give her a choice. If she chose you I would not have tried to fight you over it. I would have accepted it since the one thing I want, the one thing I EVER wanted was the happiness of the woman I love. Can you say the same? Can you say you'd want her to be happy even if the person that MADE her happy wasn't you?" He just sneered. "It's SO easy, huh? Easy to say those words when she CHOSE you! What would you have done if she didn't? HUH?" I looked him straight in the eyes. "I would have wished her the best, moved far away and found some way to kill myself." Yasha froze and looked at me in shock. "I've lived without her for fifty long, agonizing years. In those years I have fought near constantly to create a world she could be happy in. If I were NOT the person she loved I would have set her up for life to be as happy as possible and gone away to die. I lost her once Yasha, I'm not strong enough to see her live happily with someone else."

He looked torn. I sheath my sword. "I am not your enemy nor do I want to be. I am your brother. All my life I've strived to be the best one I could. I may not have succeeded but I tried my best. Its time to look at yourself, brother. Are you being the best you can be?" I turn and walk out of the clearing. I hear his voice, hesitant. "How…how do I know? How do I know if I am doing my best?" Without turning around I answer "If you can think back at a time you failed. Think back and remember every part of that failure. If you could have done nothing more in that instance. If there was nothing possible that you could have done of prepared for when that tragedy happened, then you know you did your best."

I keep walking and I hear him again. "Is that true?" I shake my head. "It's the only thought that helped me sleep the past fifty years…"

I train in an open field near the village. I still have a few lingering injuries but I am almost one hundred percent. Now…the tricky part. I still remember what the Kami told me about fate and destiny. Miroku's wind tunnel opened up as well leading me to believe Naraku somehow revived. If it were the destiny of he and Inuyasha to fight, then destiny was going to be sorely disappointed. I am also worried about Kikyo. I think I heard that in the manga she died at the hand of Naraku. Was that her fate that the Kami was talking about? If it was then it's going to change! Kikyo will be safe in the village. Actually she'd be safer in Outkast but I doubt she'd go back. I can see it in her eyes. This is her home to her. If this destiny thing is true I know Inuyasha and his group will be safe. At least in the short run. I need to find Naraku and kill him again! Once he's gone fate's plans are tossed out the window!

I arrive back in the village to see Kikyo by the door of the house I stayed in. I walk up to her. "Won't you come in?" She asked eyes sparkling. I just nod and let her lead me by the hand.

Hot lovemaking scene here. Children close your eyes. Well it doesn't matter, we are skipping this!

I have my arm around Kikyo and look up at the ceiling. A hanyou can get used to this kind of life. My eyes slide down to the woman in my arm. Damn, I still can't believe how beautiful she is. And she loves me. ME! But….seems my life is full of them. But, it can't last. If I stay here, be happy, then something bad is going to happen. Not only to Kikyo but for everyone. This isn't about a journey or a story. This is about people and their lives. I also promised Kikyo she'd be able to live a normal life as a normal woman. That can't happen with the jewel out there. Damn, she's going to be pissed at me. I slip out of her arms and quickly write her a note. Just a quick "Hi, sorry to leave on short notice but I am going to get some more jewel shards and hopefully kill Naraku. Don't be pissed, I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you Tomas" That ought to be good enough. I put on my clothes and slip out silently. I walk up to the God Tree. Even at night it has an aura. After looking at it for a few seconds I turn around and see Kikyo fully clothed and ready for traveling. I eeped and jumped up a good ten feet. When I came down I had my hand over my heart and my eyes were wide. DAMN, how did she DO that?

She looked at me coolly. "I got your note. A little short wouldn't you say?" I shrug and twirl my toe nervously in the dirt. "Well, I figured you needed to know where I was. I didn't want you to think I was just up and abandoning you." Her eyes broke her mental shield and I saw the fury behind them. "Weren't you though? Leaving like a thief in the night!" I stifle my anger. She needs to know. "I promised you a normal life, as a normal woman. Right now with the situation with the jewel I can't give that to you. I wanted to finish the jewel and Naraku then join you." She looked at me in slight anger, not the full fury of moments ago but still an impressive aura of menace. "I am accompanying you." I look at her in shock before I put my foot down. "No, no WAY in hell!"

She put her hands on her hips and looked at me with anger as well as some hurt. "Why not? I accompanied you before." I look at her sadly. "You died before. I lost you once. Please, I can't go through that AGAIN!" She looked at me. "You promised me happiness, yet you would deny me that which makes me most happy?" I looked a bit confused because that's how I felt. She is just putting my brain through the ringer! "I know I said I longed to be a normal woman, and I do. I however, am NOT normal. I am a powerful Miko. I remember much of our travels and….I enjoyed them! I enjoyed being with you and Kohaku….and Kami preserve me Miroku as well. Helping Nena as well as so many others. When I did my duties before, they were just that. Duties. I took some satisfaction at a job well done but I felt it was only a job. When we traveled together, when I saw you help others not out of any kind of duty or loyalty, but just out of a genuine interest to help someone else it made me realize how hollow my life was. When I was with Inuyasha, he made me believe I could escape my destiny. When I was with you, you made me believe I can do the right thing no matter what my destiny was!"

My throat and chest felt tight. I never took compliments well, especially ones so heartfelt. She continued. "Please. I know the journey will be difficult and dangerous. I know that but I will still go and travel by your side as you traveled by mine. You also taught me no matter what friends stay together! I want to be with you Tomasaru, please don't push me away." I just looked at her. Damn it. I know she's going to get hurt. I feel a strange certainty that she'll die again and it will be my fault. I also can't deny her. I never could. That's the reason why I tried to leave while she was asleep. I knew I would cave and I proved myself right.

"Well Kikyo, shall we be off?" I offered my arm. I tried everything but I couldn't get away from her. Even though I know it might turn out bad I still can't get the smile off my face….

Two weeks later

"Tomas it's in the head, right above the left eye." I grunt and jump. My sword impales the spider demon in its mouth and I reach with my claw to rip into its left eyebrow. As soon as I grab the jewel and pull it out the demon starts to turn into a puddle of goo. I jump down to her side and show her the fragment. I present it with a flourish. "Your jewel my good lady." She smiles at me but makes no move to take it. "If the kind sir would wash this wonderful jewel piece so the lady's hands won't get soiled…." I roll my eyes. "You're such a baby sometimes Kikyo." She just smirks. "Though I don't see you complaining when it comes time for my spankings…" I stumble a bit on the way to washing off the jewel piece. "Just for that you get twenty spanks." She just flutters her eyes and tells me "That's a bad thing?" Man, Kikyo was really surprising me. Not only is she a…..well a lot more than a lady in bed she knows how to cut the comments. I thought it was me but I think she was just repressed….

After washing it thoroughly I hand her the jewel piece. "Better?" She just nods and lowers her head. "You know how much I hate to sully myself Mog-chan…" I just roll my eyes. We were chasing a demon that had a jewel shard right into a nasty swamp. I was holding my nose while we went in. The demon dived into the water and Kikyo dived in headfirst after it. I just blinked cause that stuff smelled NASTY. I see her rise out of the muck, her aura still glowing, with the jewel shard. After that I teased her about taking a bath for days. Now she's taking shots right back at me. The Mog-chan is just something that stuck with her. When I asked her about it her eye's got soft and told me that was when she really fell for me. When she put it like that who am I to argue?

So far we found four jewel pieces. Hopefully at this rate we'll have the whole thing collected in a few months. The compass the Kami gave us so long ago is no help. So many fragments all over the place just makes it spin wildly. On the bright side, if we ever lose most of the jewel it should lead us right to it! We set up camp and Kikyo goes out to fetch some water. Now that she is gone I can brood about something else that was bugging me. Naraku KNEW about me. He was being his normal, sadistic self by twisting his words a bit but there is no doubt in my mind he some how knows that I don't belong here. I look at the direction Kikyo left in and feel my heart just clench at the thought. I may have come here a bit differently than most but I BELONG here. Once I may have fooled myself into thinking I was just here as a clean up guy. Come on in, fix all the messes and leave everyone all happy and shiny but that's not how it went nor should it have. This is LIFE. Life is messy, unorganized, and unpredictable. I may know of what COULD happen but my being here throws all that off. Truthfully the knowledge is more a burden than anything. I know what people's "supposed fates" were but they aren't going to stay that way. We have a choice to make life better, on how to live.

My internal ramblings were cut short when I saw Kikyo walk in with water in a jar. Her miko garb is also all wet and clinging to her in very intimate ways. She is just looking at me in a too innocent way. "Here is the water. I also fell into the river and my clothing is all wet. Oh dear, whatever shall I do?" She puts a hand to her mouth like it's a real problem. Damn, Kikyo is awful playful when she doesn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders. I look at her in a pose of contemplation, my chin in my hand. "Hmm, you might have to take them off." Kikyo put her hand to her chest as in shock. "Oh, but some wanderer might see my maidenhood! Is there no other way?" I smile up at her. "You can always use my blanket good Lady" She made a pose as if thinking. "I'm not sure, could I trust a ruffian such as yourself?" I smirk. "No" I then lightly tackle her to the floor. During the past few weeks I've learned a lot about Kikyo, especially her…

I got her giggling right off the bat and where my finger went I got some full blown laughs "To-too…TOMAS stop.." she gasped as I tickled her mercilessly. "Hmm, high and mighty lady want the bad ruffian to stop……NAH!" I increase the speed of my assault. I never thought my speed training would allow me a high speed tickle attack but you learn something new everyday. Well, I have to say one thing. My mood has never been brighter!

Two days later

I catch the smell of something that REALLY darkens my mood. Naraku…I look over and I see Kikyo can feel his presence as well. It's a bit earlier than I expected to find him but I won't look a gift kill in the mouth. Without the full power of the Shikon no Tama there should be no problems dealing with him. I hope. He's smart so he must have a plan for why he'd reveal himself now. We stop and scan the area around us. It seems to waver and change. We appear….in the middle of a courtyard? With a VERY familiar castle ahead. Naraku. It seems like he repaired the place. I'm going to have fun with him this time…

"Kikyo…" He purred, then turned his gaze on me. "Ah, Tomasaru….or is it?" I looked at him evenly with my hand on my sword. "It is. It's who I am now." He just smiled at me in a condescending way. "I'm sure you may think that, but it's not true." He smiled at Kikyo. "Did you know your friend has a secret?" I felt an ice cold lump in my stomach. Kikyo HATED being kept in the dark about anything. Naraku chuckled as if feeling how uncomfortable I was with him talking about this.

"Yes, did he ever tell you that he isn't who he says he is?" Kikyo looked unimpressed. "I know this man Naraku, you cannot turn us against eachother!" Naraku just laughed again. "Oh my this will be more enjoyable than I thought. When I possessed the jewel I was made privy to many secrets of this land. One was a traveler, someone not of this place nor of this time. A man who was sent here of his own violation to meddle in affairs that does not concern him." Kikyo looked at me and I just kept looking at Naraku. How could the jewel tell him ALL of that? He got my wish down to the nutshell!

"Hmm, yes. You were very impressive for a mortal whose previous life was that of a scholar. But you were still a mortal. Dissatisfied with your current life and instead of changing it you used a wish and traveled your way here. The truth is you are a bigger manipulator than even I! You are to be commended….Tomasaru…" I growled deep in my throat. How….how can he KNOW?

I draw my sword. "Great story Naraku. I got a better one. It's about a hanyou and a priestess kicking your sorry hide all over. I'm pretty sure you heard that one. It was big fifty years ago!" Naraku just shook his head. "Trying to distract from the truth with bravado. You must be getting desperate…" I half snarl. "Listen, I really don't care about all this crap you've been saying. I care that you are somehow alive after we killed you and you activated the Miroku line's Wind Tunnels again." He just smiled. "I am alive because it is my destiny to weld the power of the Shikon no Tama. You, who don't even HAVE a destiny can not stop me."

I grin and Kikyo answers "We stopped you before Naraku, we can do so again." He just sighs like he is dealing with fools. "The only reason you stopped me, was because I was never supposed to have the jewel at the time…" I nearly drop the sword. So, we are back to fate then huh? "Fools. You can not stop what is to be! I know the future and you two….are not in it…"

I spare a glance at Kikyo. So that's what the Kami meant. Kikyo's fate was sealed… "No…NO!" I got both of their attention. Good. "I don't care what you say Naraku. The future has not been determined yet! Our lives and our will won't bend to any supposed fate!" He just gestured to an empty space. "Why don't we look at a bit of a show? I think you have probably seen this but I don't think Lady Kikyo has…" The space where he gestured waves and formed into….a TV Screen? Playing….Inuyasha! Damn, complete with sound!

Before us played out the sequence where Inuyasha and Kikyo were tricked into betraying eachother. We saw things from each of their points of view. It must be creepy for Kikyo, hearing her own voice spoken by the anime character. Kikyo looked on in shock while I was getting angry. Angry and scared. This should be beyond Naraku, especially without the full power of the jewel. "Enough Naraku!" He just smiled evilly. "You don't like that show, I must admit it was one of my favorites. How about another? How about….a pathetic little nobody getting granted a wish….by….lets say a blonde goddess! Doesn't that sound like something….entertaining. Right….Tomasaru?" Kikyo just looked numb in shock from seeing that little bit from the anime. If she saw what Naraku claimed he had, it could destroy her. Exactly what he wants…damn.

"Enough Naraku! What the hell do you want?" The playfulness left his face. "I want my destiny! I want the power that you took away. And I want you to suffer. Enjoy the show." He faded out of existence as well as his castle, the only thing left was the window showing….me. As I was before the wish. Just a chubby Italian guy talking to a blonde supermodel. Kikyo listened at the exchange. The final wish granted. Then, a scene of a burning bedroom, of a beautiful woman whose arms were filled with two small white haired bundles. Then, the screen just faded away as with the castle. Kikyo looked….devastated. Her face was lined with tears. I am hoping its due to the stress but my luck was never that good.

"Kikyo?" She stayed on her knees where her legs gave out. I reach out and touch her arms when she stares at me eyes wild. "Don't touch me!" I raise my hands and back away from her. She rises and stomps toward me. "Is it true?" I try to put my hand on her shoulder while saying "I really don't think it matte…" She bats my arm off. "Don't you DARE say it doesn't matter! Is it true? Do you now even exist? Is everything you are just some sort of a lie?" That hurt but wasn't totally unexpected. After all it WAS technically a secret.

I just sigh. "I am who I am. I never lied about that. I'm here, I'm real. You're felt my, talked to me. It….is true that I came from a….different background than everyone else. But that doesn't mean I'm not…who I am." Damn, this is confusing me. I feel like that clone of Jack O'Neil from SG1 explaining his existence! Kikyo just looked pissed. "I can't BELIEVE I trusted you. That I loved you! You are just like everyone else in my life. A damn liar!" She stormed off and I grabbed her by the arm. "Now just wait a…" I was stopped by Kikyo's power which washed over me like a torrent. I refused to let go. I felt her jerk her arm away but I kept it in a soft but firm vicelike grip. I can see her tears through my haze of pain. "Not….til….you….hear…my sii….AHHHhhhh….". After hose words I passed out from the pain.

I woke up in the evening. I saw a fire going and I see Kikyo tending the fire. "You didn't leave…" She just glared at me. "If I left you would have died. And then I wouldn't get any answers….and if the answers are NOT satisfactory, I may have vengeance." I gulped. No doubt in my mind she means every word of that. "Fine, I'll tell you everything. From beginning to end."

She was just staring at me silently. OK, no help there. "My life, at least my first life….well the first life I can remember was one that was at around Kagome's time. I was born to a land far west of here. In a country that will not be found for a few more hundred years. Naraku was telling the truth, I was somewhat of a scholar. The reason why I never seemed like it or used it was that nothing of it could apply to this time period. I studied mainly math and computers, computers are….well they are complex and lets leave it at that. I worked and I studied but my life felt empty. I had a nice family, decent job but I felt….useless. Like nothing I did really mattered to anyone. When I die, would anyone remember something I did as worthwhile? Then I made a phone call, it's a device that allows you to talk over great distances, I made a call and this woman answers and tells me I get a wish. And another woman appears and asks me what I want." I take a deep breath and look at Kikyo. I can see some tears but other than that her mask is on tight.

"So, I get this wish, but I don't know what to wish for. I wish for peace in the world but the woman said I can only make a wish that affects myself. I really didn't think I could make much of a difference to anyone where I was now. I wanted a fresh start but not completely fresh where I would not know my past mistakes. I….learned of the story of Inuyasha. A half demon who's trials were endless and had almost nothing but pain and heartache his entire existence. I figured I could use the wish to help him. I could only make a wish that affected myself so it put me in as his twin. Everything else is all me." Kikyo still looked at me with her mask on. I get a little angry. "Come ON! Do you think you would have believe A WORD of this? You had trouble believing that I wanted to help you!" Kikyo just kept on with the stare and expressionless face.

I can feel my heart breaking at the sight. My voice started cracking. "What was I supposed to do?" I get up and turn to her fully. "WHAT THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?" I slumped back down with some tears lining my face. "My life, before. It didn't really mean anything. What good was it? So I remember more about another life than most people. So what? Everything I did I did because it was the right thing to do. Because it was how I, ME, Tomasaru felt! I am who I always was. Nothing has changed. I haven't changed."

"But my views of you HAVE changed!" I look at her with wide eyes. "Wha…What do you mean?" She sighed and looked at me with a sneer. "I thought you were honorable. I thought that you would never lie to me. You would think after all this time I would learn that NO MAN can be trusted." I got up to face her. "Hold on! You're saying just because I didn't tell you something that had no relevance in either of our live PLUS the fact you'd never have believed it makes me untrustworthy?" She nods her head. "If you did not tell me about this, what other secrets are you hiding?" I look at her….I stare hard at her. I can't help it, I laughed. I laughed hard. I was crying in emotional turmoil but I was laughing hysterically.

I try to compose myself "You.." I chuckle a bit more "…have GOT to be shitting me! I can't believe how DENSE you are!" Now I see anger in her eyes. Good. "You are truly truly sad if YOU think me not telling you about a life that has NO FUCKING BASIS on this one!" I start giggling again. I'm losing it. "So, I'm a liar huh?" I take a step toward her and she takes a little step back but firms herself. She meets my crazy gaze with a steady one. "Yes". I laugh again. "So, because I don't tell you something you would not have believed I'm a great big liar?" She doesn't take my mocking well. "You never gave me the chance to choose for myself if I believed it or not." I shake my head. "So if I crapped at the base of a tree when I was four, you'd like to know that as well?" She just looked at me in confusion.

"Well, I didn't tell you about that, well then I guess you want to know about everything. You know I probably broke a few branches jumping in the trees, that make you feel better?" She's already angry, I'm just adding some more fuel to the fire. "Damn it Tomasaru this is NOT funny!" I laugh at her again. "Come on Kikyo, it is WAY more than funny. You realize what fucking HELL I've been through for you?" I don't give her time to answer. "Of course you do, buts lets do a little recap huh? That sound like fun since you seem to be focusing on my past. OK, lets see….."

I look her straight in the eye. I'm pretty sure mine are glowing from how pissed I am. "Lets see….hmm, when I first met you I stopped you from dying right in front of your sister. Yes, must have been part of my sinister plot. Hmm, then I save you from fighting Naraku when you could barely go three feet without stumbling. Yes, I am a bastard aren't I Kikyo?" Kikyo tried to cut in "Toma…" I scream, cutting her off. "I'M NOT FINISHED! Come on, listen to what a bastard I am. I travel with you, protect you. Help out hunters looking to kill me and keep perverted monks from grabbing your ass. Gee, I deserve an arrow right to the HEART, don't I? But wait, that's not the end to my despicable history. I help more people, and more villagers, probably trying to sucker poor you in. I mean, I fight Kamis and demons using the full strength of the jewel, I HAVE to have an angle. Oh, then I actually FULFILL your last request. Oh GODS, I should just burn in HELL, shouldn't I? HUH? Then, oh yeah. To impress you while you are dead I decide I'll just TORTURE myself for a few decades. You know. To impress you from suddenly rising from your grave. After all, I have some damn plot in this evil head of mine. So lets see, I travel, help people, get impaled….gee, maybe you should just put me down now Kikyo!" I see her crying and she whispers "Please Tomas.." I put my hand up. "Wait, I've got more to confess!"

"So here I am, wandering around, feeling sorry for myself for not saving you. Gods, what's wrong with me right? So I go to a certain village and see a certain dead woman. In an act of total selfishness I use up a favor granted to me by a KAMI to give you back the life you lost and to ensure your life and soul are your own. I then put you in a village where you can do ANYTHING you want. Then I LEAVE to make sure that anything you do is your choice. You know what Kikyo, Naraku is right, he don't light a candle to how evil I AM? RIGHT?" I'm breathing hard from my tirade and blood is pouring out of my palms from where my claws pierced the skin. After all we've been through she DARES think that I was FUCKING with her head? She looks at me frightened. Yeah, she actually looked scared. And that's yet ANOTHER thing that PISSED me off!

"One more thing. You're looking a little frightened there Kikyo, I think there's ONE more thing I should confess." I stormed over to where she stood. I moved to less than a foot away and leaned into her ear. "When have I EVER gave you reason to fear ME?" I then step away and move to sit down by the fire. I toss her a blanket. "I think it's best we don't sleep together honey, so bundle up, its cold tonight." I just looked into the fire. I didn't know what was going on in her head and right now I could care less. If all we went through together can be destroyed from just one damn thing like this then I was the biggest fool in the world to think this could actually work!

I woke up a bit early. In fact I didn't get much sleep at all. After I told Kikyo my origins then her reaction just set me off. I know she had trust issues but DAMN! She got a bit too controlling there. Especially for something she'd never have believed without Naraku's little "This is Your Life, Hell Edition" display he put on. I look on at Kikyo's troubled face while she slept. Damn, I am a whipped puppy. Even though she deserved the tongue lashing I gave her I can't help but feel bad for hurting her. Damn I wish I could be heartless and dump water on her or something to wake her up but….I just can't Cursing myself for being such a wimp a gently take hold of her shoulder and lightly shake. "Kikyo, rise and shine. It's a wond…..well a new day is here."

She groggily awake and took me in as I gently wake her. Unlike all the times she's woken up to my face, I don't have a smile on. Neither am I in a very happy mood. "Come on Kikyo, we have to decide where to go from here" She shook the sleep from her eyes and sat up. She wore her blanket like a cloak. She looked at me sadly. "I thought you wanted nothing more to do with me after last night." I shook my head. "It's not THAT. I won't lie, I'm still angry at you Kikyo. Very angry. But I love you" She seemed surprised to hear me say that. "What, you think I'd throw away everything we had together because of one stupid fight? Come on, we've been through a lot worse together than a fight!" She still looked sad and moved her eyes to her lap. "But, what you and I said…" I cut her off. "Yea, we both were angry, and we both had our reasons WHY we were angry. We were both right. We were also both wrong." I gentle took her hand in mine as I kneeled in front of her. "This is not going to be easy. We both have a lot of pride, that's a good thing sometimes, but it is something I refuse to get in the way of what's truly important."

Kikyo just looked at me with her stone face on. I can see it cracking a bit. This giving me a new strength as I push on. "What would that be?" She asked in a calm voice. "For me, it's you. It always has been. For us it's being together and being HAPPY. Kikyo, you told me that first night we were together that you were happy. That's all I want, all I ever wanted. I want to keep making you happy, I want to be with you for as long as I draw breath and beyond. What we have, it's special. I'm not saying it's all going to be easy. Look back to what we've gone through. But in the end. At the end of the day, watching the sunset with you, traveling with you, all the little things we do for eachother. THAT'S what's important. Not the fights, not the who's right and who's wrong, but to be able to look past whatever flaws or mistakes the other person has and look past them. Look to what's truly important."

She smiled at me. It was a small one but it's a big victory none the less. "So it's important to you that we stay together?" I shake my head. "I told you it's important to me that you are happy. I never said I was perfect. All the times you pulled my ear and dragged me halfway around a few villages should have taught you I'm not." I get a little burst of giggles out of that mental picture. "All I'm saying is to think about what I truly did wrong and if it's that's bad for you. I meant what I said, I do love you and I truly did believe that you'd never have believed what I told you." She shook her head at me. "Do you know why I truly felt so angry and betrayed when Naraku revealed this?" I shook my head. "Because you BELIEVED that I would not believe in you! How many times have we stood together, side by side against all odds? And after all those times you did not think I would believe you about something when you tell me its true?" I wince at that. I really never thought of it QUITE like that. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it gently.

"Kikyo, we can't change the past but we can learn from it. You're right. After all we've been through it would not have been a stretch for you to believe me and I am sorry for doubting you. All I can do is promise you I'll not commit the same mistake." She squeezed my hand. "I too, apologize for my outbursts. I let my anger cloud myself." I shake my head. "You're not the only person who's anger got away with them. Let's just promise to learn from this and let this go. This….is not something I want to dwell on. But will not forget." She nodded. "Yes, I will forget either." I stare at her. She stares at me. I scratch my head. "Uhm, what's for breakfast?" I FINALLY got her to facefault!

Recovering a moment later she looks at me in shock. "After we confessed ourselves like that you are thinking of EATING?" My stomach chose THAT moment to growl like a hungry lion. I blushed a bit. "Well, it sort of snuck up on me, I was hoping to say something else before my stomach made itself known." Looking a little miffed Kikyo stared at me. "Really, what WAS the thing you were going to say?" I shrug my shoulders. "Nothing much, just this." I lean in and cup her face. I then kiss her gently on the lips. I look deep into her eyes and say "I love you Kikyo, I will always love you no matter how bad things get or what was said."

I can see the emotion running through her eyes "Oh Tomas, I love you too. I'm sorry about earlier, I let my anger get away from me. I'll try not to get so ang…." My stomach chose THAT moment to again tell everything in fifty yards that I was hungry. Kikyo's eyes flash and I am no longer seeing love, just extreme annoyance. She grabs my right ear "Dammit Tomasaru I am TRYING to show my affections and how much I LOVE YOU!" As she was saying that she was ripping into my ear. My whole body was being practically dragged into the air by her grip. I was flopping around while she declared her love. I could only whine one thing while my ear felt like it was ripping off. "Ohhh Kaaaaammmiii! Love huuuuuuuurrts!"

After making breakfast while I tended my ear wounds we were off again. We weren't so lovey dovey as when we first started but we were on the road to relationship recovery. I STILL wanted to find Naraku for his beat down. It was probably better in the long run that she knew, but NOT like that. Sheesh, never the easy way with us is it?

We stopped by a village about two days in. We had mostly forgiven one another. We slept together but sleeping is all we did. Right now we just needed the comfort of eachother against all our hurts. I figured we finally are on the right track when I catch a scent, or a few familiar scents. I catch a faint voice "I can sense jewel shard, quite a few of them, this way!" Naturally I had Kikyo pulling my other ear in excitement. "Tomas! There are jewel shards." She jerks my head by my ear in the direction I heard the voices. "It's that way!" I just groan in pain. "I know Kikyo…."

Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku emerge and look in shock as Kikyo has me by the ear bend almost in half, pointing me right toward them. Inuyasha just walked in, took one look at me, snorted in amusement and said "I TOLD you I smelled them." Kikyo is looking at them in some embarrassment so I talk low to her "Can I have my ear back?" She realized what she looked like ripping into my ear and immediately let go. Being in such an awkward position gravity took firm hold of me and I landed face first into the ground. I looked up from the dirt to see Shippo bending down to look at me. "Yup, you're Inuyasha's brother all right!" I just whine on the ground while everyone chuckled over me. "I saved the world….why can't I get any respect….."

Seems Inuyasha and Kagome have been busy little shard hunters. They have about a fused quarter of the jewel. With our shard we have a bit more than half. We are almost done. Almost. Can't get complacent now. I'm just trying not to wince as Yasha is getting into Kikyo's face about the shards. "We should be the ones holding them! It's Kagome's anyway Kikyo. You gave it up!" Seems he has a bit of hostility toward Kikyo. Probably the break up. "Yasha, the fragments are safe and Kikyo IS a good protector for them. You'll have the damn thing whole soon enough." He just glared at me. "I wasn't talking to you!" I guess he's got some hostility toward me. I wish I could say I didn't know WHY. I see Kagome glaring at Inuyasha. Oh no. "Yasha, I think you might want to…" He just whipped his head at me and actually put his hand on the hilt of Teisaiga. "Shut UP! I told you I don't want to hear anything out of your damn lying MOUTH!" Kikyo looked a bit spooked at the comment and I guess she's thinking of the little secret we fought about a while ago. I look at Kagome and it seems she's reached her limit. "SIT!" BAM. Well, argument won….

It has reached the evening and we were all sharing a room in an empty house of the village. Having two mikos and a monk, no matter how perverted, opens doors it seems. I am playing with Shippo on my lap while Kagome and Kikyo have a talk. I really EALLY hope it isn't girl talk. I then notice they both look at me. Kikyo whispers something in Kagome's ear that I can't quite get and I see Kagome go red. Damn it Kikyo….They both start giggling again when they notice my expression. I look at Shippo down in my lap and he seems to think that my situation is funny as well. Wait till you grow up kid, I'll remember this! Miroku was the picture of Zen like calm in his meditative pose but I didn't buy into that one bit. His great grandfather snuck in A LOT of conversations by pretending to be in a trance like state. Gods, what the monks do just for a grope….

Inuyasha is all by himself, sulking. Well, I feel bad for him but he really brings it on himself. He is always so damn aggressive, even to the people that want to help him the most. I sigh and tell Shippo "I think I'm going to talk with the Grump for a while." He giggled a bit at my new pet name for Yasha but looked pensive. "You sure? He doesn't seem to like you that much." I smile at the little kit. "That is an understatement. But we need to clear the air. Make sure Kikyo and Kagome are distracted. I don't need them to sit Yasha, we need to really finish this stupid fighting." I walk past Yasha to the outside. "Come outside, brother" without breaking stride. I walk outside the village to a nice clearing in the trees. He'll know were I am. After about two minute I smell him approach. He comes out of the brush looking at me in distrust and a bit of hatred. Damn it, how did things get so damn FUBARed?

"What the hell do you want?" I shrug. I expected hostility. Hell, I'm expecting an attack. "I want things to be good between us." He barks out a bitter laugh at that. "Good? GOOD? Are you STUPID or something?" I smile at him. "You're not the first one to say that. But no, I am not stupid, just tired. Tired of fighting with one of the people I do not want to. With my family." Yasha just growled. " We are NOT family, not after everything you've done!" I look at him evenly. "Yasha, what the HELL have I done that was so unforgivable? I love Kikyo, yes. Yes, we are together. I did not want that to happen, I in fact fought it tooth and nail. I can not deny my heart Yasha, even if you can." He looked at me suspiciously. "What the HELL are you talking about?"

I smile. "You and Kagome of course." He just looks like he's about to draw his sword. "I do NOT like Kagome, she's just my shard detector, THAT'S ALL." I raise my eyebrow. "Really, hmm. You got the Teisaiga to work when you protected her. A selfish reason like protecting a shard detector wouldn't have done it. You had to have TRUE fee…" "SHUT UP!" He roared unsheathing the Teisaiga. I hastily draw my blade to keep from being cut down. DAMN, he's gotten faster!

"Are you CRAZY? I'm just talking here and you are drawing your sword on me!" He just snarled. "I'm through with talking. That's all you want to do, talk talk talk. Fight me DAMN YOU!" He swings at me a few times. I dodge some of them and forced to block others. Damn it Yasha….

I jump twenty or so feet away. I sheath my sword and keep my hand on my hilt. "Is fighting all you wish to do? Don't you want more out of life than this?" He just looks at me in fury. "Fine, a duel. I win, you actually listen, you win I shut up and I'll only talk when you want to, fair?" He smiles ferally. I think he was in at the words I'll fight you….

I blur and swing at Yasha, I don't want to prolong this. He blocks my swing and takes one of his own. By the time his swing connects to the spot I was in I was long gone. My brother's sword is POWERFUL, of that I haven't a shred of doubt. I could FEEL its power even while its dormant. In this fight I can sense it bubbling to the surface, waiting to be released. I thank all the Kamis in the world that he doesn't yet know how to release it. I dodge most of his strikes, going under his guard for a quick cut or kick. This just him angrier which in turn gets him sloppier. I jump out of his reach and speak "Yo, Yasha. This is a duel, not a damn death match. Control yourself a bit!" My words seem to only get him angrier and he charges at me. I duck under the Teisaiga's swing and hit him the chest as hard as I could with the bottom of my hilt while drawing my sword. The hit sends him skidding down a dozen or so feet before he swings the Teisaiga down and stops himself. I continue as I was not interrupted. "Look at me! You want a fight, fine! I'm giving you one. Ou can at least do the same. Calm the hell DOWN and THINK! You are a great fighter but not when you are so angry you can't see straight. Watch my style, watch how I fight, use my style to your advantage!" He doesn't look furious anymore but still quite pissed.

"Well how the hell am I going to do that when you keep running away and I can't hit you!" I shake my head at his apparent stupidity. "Yasha, look at your sword, look at mine? Mine is made for speed in mind. Yours is made for power. Think of it in elements. I'm more like water, I flow out of your reach and I attack you in a wave, crushing you beneath me. Your style is like that of fire. Slow at first but can burn quickly and leave only ashes behind. That's fine. I'm just trying to get you thinking about where you'll be….say after four swings, or even where you're second swing will be going." He looked thoughtful but then mistrustful. "We are dueling, why the hell are you telling me all this?" I just shake my head. "I'm not out to kill you! This is just a stupid duel. And I'm telling you this so you'll improve! I don't want to see you die Yasha, no matter what you think of me. And….it seems fighting is the ONLY way you'll listen to when I have to say!" With that I blur and unsheathe my sword sending a cutting wind attack at him. He just puts the wide edge of the Teisaiga to shield him. Good, he's learning. I attack with my sword and I'm proud to see he's not swinging in such wide arcs. He keeps his sword close to his body and shifts it to block my attacks. Since it is such a big sword he can just move it slightly to improve his defense. I give him a wide smile. "Good, you aren't letting me get in your guard anymore." He just gives me a tight smirk and attacks.

Whoa, he's getting pretty good. Only from a few comments and criticisms. Damn, took me a while longer to grasp this sort of stuff. I guess you need to be a prodigy to survive the crap he had to in the original series. His sword glows and I widen my eyes. I leap out of the way and see the devastation he left in the spot I previously occupied. "Damn it Yasha, I said this is a duel not a damn DEATH MATCH!" He just gives me a cold look and attacks again. SHIT! This is actually worse than a Wind Scar. Power decreases over time and space. In Power for Dummies that means when using a blast, the further away you are, the weaker the blast. Since his power is concentrated so close to his sword it's like a Mega Wind Scar every time he swings his fang. SHIT! I leap backwards and he's following me. I don't see any kind of compassion or any sort of emotion in his eyes. They are just dead. I leap to the side as another swing blasts me a bit further away than I thought it would. I set myself for using my Wind Scar on him. I can see all the lines of power I could ever need to start it off. But…it could kill him. I try to make the swing but…I can't. While I hesitated he approached me faster than I thought he could have and brought the Teisaiga down in a crushing over the head motion. Shit, I can't dodge. I place all the power I had into my sword and place it to block the blow. This won't be pretty. I blocked it and moved his sword to the left while I tried to roll out to the right as I blocked I saw my sword start to crack, when I pushed with all my might to change the direction of the swing so not to be cut in half it cracked even more and stattered, spraying me and Yasha with bits and pieces.

I roll and look at my broken sword. My first thought was 'Oh no, not again!' My second was 'That was a KILLING blow!' I looked at Yasha and he was smiling evilly at me. I couldn't fight, not now, not what might happen. "Yasha, you win, I yield, this is enough!" He just swung the Teisaiga on his shoulder. I see a small speck leap toward Inuyasha. "Master Inuyasha, you have won the match, please you do not know what might happen if this should.." He just swatted Myoga away and moved the Teisaiga back to a two handed grip. He was serious…he's actually going to try to…kill me. I can see the power radiating off the Teisaiga. Father's sword….his fang….should NOT be used to slaughter his children! "Yasha, please stop, LISTEN! You won, there's no…" I never got a chance to finish my plea when he cut down the spot I was speaking from. I rolled away but the power from the strike and from the sword itself burned and blew me several dozen feet away. I bounced along the ground and tried to roll with the impact.

I look at Yasha and feel….anger. He's trying to kill me, my brother, my twin….trying to kill me. Well….this is war then. I can feel power well up inside me. My claws lengthen. I smile with my enlarged canines emerging. "You want….a fight to the death. Fine, sounds…" I lick my lips "…enjoyable." I takes another swing at me and I blur out of the way and to his exposed side. With contempt I slash him open. He cries and flies off to hit a tree….hmm or two since he went through one. He is getting to his feet. Good.

"One hit and you look like you are dead on your feet. Hmm, well you will be!" I sent out a few energy needles at him which he blocks with the Teisaiga. Damn sword. I smile. I create an energy whip and grap hold of the sword. "Lets play claw to claw like the good old days….brother." I yank the sword out of his grasp and rush in with a closed punch to his nose. Mmm, blood. He holds onto his empty sheath. Hmm, going to fight me with that? Desperate. I hear the air parting and smell power so I leap straight up. I see the sword fly right to his hand and transform again. Hmm, well him fighting with a sword is an easier kill for me….

I rush him and I see he raises the Teisaiga like a shield. Foolish brother. I quickly leap over him and send an open handed claw strike right to his unguarded back. I feel my claws slip into the hot flesh of his lower back. I wiggle my fingers a bit to hear more screams of pain before I slowly pull it out. He slumps to his knees so I kick his sword and the sheath away. I roll him face up so he can see my face. I make a show of licking his blood off my claws before speaking. "Aren't you happy brother? You wanted this. I guess we know which one is the strongest. And which one of us is bleeding and broken under the other's heel." I stick my foot in his open would so I can see more pain in his eyes. I love ripping a hole straight through someone. "You look to be a bit hurt Yasha, maybe I should just send you off? After all there is no need for weaklings in this world, right?" I smile in hunger. I can finally take the life of my defeated foe and maybe even tear the flesh off his rotting corpse! I raise my claw so he can see his own blood dripping from them before I deliver the final blow. I start moving my claw down in which would have been the fatal strike when a burning pain in my back distracted me.

I jump off Yasha and rip off the ward before turning to see a man in purple robes preparing another ward. A memory tickled through. "You AGAIN monk?" I growl. I see a child try to make its way to my bleeding brother. I blur and catch it and place it between me and the monk with the burning wards. "Now now, you send another one of those things and I'll make sure this little creature gets hit with them. I can see frustration in his eyes. I look to the little kit and see fear there. Mmmm, I can smell its fear as well. I hear more people coming. Damn. I guess killing my brother will have to wait. I want the death to be one on one. I want the personal satisfaction of ending his miserable life. I look at the child in my claws. "Can you fly?" He looked in confusion as I tossed him at high speeds at the monk. I see them both go down as I disappear into the forest. There will be other nights to hunt.

I think this is a good spot to end the chapter. This one is a bit darker bt like they say, it's darkest before the dawn. The dawn isn't for a WHILE but I'll be shedding some moon light for this story. I hope people aren't offended at some of the language used in this chapter. I'm trying to keep the serious parts serious and that would be difficult when people in the midst of a heart wrenching argument say stuff like fudging or dang darn it! Writing the chapters longer means longer times till I update but I hope people are liking the story so far. I got a few reviews which I am very happy about. Well, one review for this arc but I'm hopeful I'll have two or three…..in a month maybe? Review, it's not for just movies anymore!


	4. Chapter 4

Hi there people. Another chapter coming at you hot! Hope everyone is enjoying the longer chapters and the somewhat deeper plots. This next chapter is going to be like the one in my previous arc where it's showing two things happening at once. Maybe not EXACTLY the same time but I will try to make it as obvious as possible. Of course any reviews would be most helpful and appreciated. You know, I've read a lot of stuff off the site and I never reviewed. Now I know how much that SUCKS for the writer. Karma man, it's a bitch…Disclaimer. I don't own Inuyasha nor the other animes that I have written directly or indirectly. If you own these and are actually on here and further actually want some form of compensation….YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

This is taking place while Inuyasha and Tomasaru are having there chat. Myoga was a loyal flea. He just had no tolerance for anything remotely dangerous. While searching for one of his Lords he was delighted to see he found them both, together, actually having a conversation! Of course Lord Inuyasha was a bit angry but that was usual. Lord Tomasaru was trying to make peace with Lord Inuyasha. Again. Also not that unusual. Then they decided to duel. Well Lord Tomasaru did, Lord Inuyasha probably just wanted to beat Lord Tomasaru to a bloody pulp. Myoga just shrugged. It was just a normal night and he watched the proceedings. The fight went about how Myoga predicted. Though Lord Inuyasha's raw potential was great and he learned astonishingly fast, Lord Tomasaru had more than fifty years of combat experience. Almost all of the past fifty years was in combat. It reminded Myoga of their father. That drive, that passion! They are indeed his Lord's sons. Myoga had to smile when Lord Tomasaru gave his brother a few pointers. He was glad to see he wasn't taking this duel in a serious way. If he did Lord Inuyasha wouldn't have a chance with all the techniques he has at his disposal. Myoga's eyes widened when he saw the raw aggression Lord Inuyasha was displaying. Those were KILLING moves! In raw cases such as where both his charges are locked in a deadly battle Myoga can find a spine. If Lord Inuyasha forces Lord Tomasaru while he does not have his blade….He remembered the horrible monster he had become the last time.

Jumping for all he was worth he screamed at Lord Inuyasha. "Master Inuyasha, you have won the match, please you do not know what might happen if this should.." he was casually swatted away. Knowing there was no way to reach his Lords he raced off to where he sensed a powerful miko energy. Thinking only Kagome could stop Inuyasha with a sit he raced to her. While running toward her he ran into Miroku and Shippo who was chasing after him. Actually Miroku stepped on Myoga. Stopping to turn to what made a horrible snapping sound he saw Myoga pop back from being flat as a pancake.

"Miroku! Thank goodness. Lord Tomasaru and Lord Inuyasha are fighting. Lord Inuyasha BROKE Master Tomasaru's sword! You must stop the fight quickly before Master Tomasaru slips!" Miroku looked confused. "Slips, what do you.." He jumped up and down. "There's NO TIME, just stop Lord Inuyasha, I'll go get Kagome!" With that he leapt away.

Jumping and running as fast as his flee legs could carry him he ran into the house the group was staying in, following the sense of miko energy he was surprised to see Kikyo there as well as Kagome. He looked at Kikyo. "Oh thank the Kami you're here Lady Kikyo, the last I head you were at Lord Tomasaru's village of Outkast" He then paused and shook his head furiously. "We have no time! Lord Tomasaru and Lord Inuyasha are fighting! Lord Inuyasha broke Lord Tomasaru's sword! I don't think I need to tell you what will happen if he's in a serious fight without the sword!" Kikyo's face paled with shock and realization. Her face set she turned to Kagome. Keep up so that you may sit Inuyasha or I may….have a more permanent solution!" Kagome looked a bit pale but followed. She asked while they ran "So what's the big deal that his sword broke?" Myoga cut in so Kikyo could concentrate. "The sword is what keeps Master Tomasaru's demon blood from overwhelming him much like the Teisaiga does for Lord Inuyasha. Without it he will become an uncontrolled demon!"

Sprinting they come to the clearing and see Inuyasha lying in a pool of his own blood, Miroku and Shippo slowly getting up, and no sign of Tomasaru. Kagome rushes to the wounded hanyou's side. "Inuyasha!" She's looking at the bloody hole in his stomach and tries not to wretch. "This looks pretty bad…." Kikyo is looking at the broken hilt and the sheath not too far from it. Kikyo then turns to look at Kagome cradling Inuyasha's head in her la as he lay bleeding on the ground. Shaking her head at that too familiar scene she walks up and examines Inuyasha. She looks at Kagome. "Do not worry, he will live." Her voice then turns a shade darker "For the moment. We must go back inside and find out what happened here." Miroku staggers over to Inuyasha and lifts him up while Shippo leaps into Kagome's arms shivering. Kagome turns her attention to the child in her arms. "What's wrong Shippo?" He looked at her with haunted eyes. "Kagome, that guy, Inuyasha's brother….I hope Inuyasha is NOTHING like him!"

Kagome tended to Inuyasha's injuries throughout the night She fell asleep tending to him. As the sun rose a groan woke her up. "Inuyasha! You're awake!" He just groaned. "Wha…what happened?" His answer came as an irate flea that jumped right on his nose. "That is what WE would like to know! Tomasaru challenged you to an honorable duel and even conceded defeat but you attacked him with intent to KILL! Do you hate your brother so much Inuyasha!" Inuyasha looked a bit stunned. Both at the declaration he tried to kill Tomasaru and that Myoga didn't use Lord or Master when addressing him. He tried to stand but the pain washed over him forcing him back to a sitting position.

He gasped in pain. "I won the duel…..this doesn't really feel like winning Myoga!" Myoga just looked angrier. His paled to compare to the aura of menace Kikyo radiated like a cloak as she entered followed closely by a cross Miroku and a fear filled Shippo. Inuyasha gulped. Kikyo wasn't looking too happy with him at the moment.

She sat down like a Lady across from him and Kagome. Her eyes were locked on his however. "So Inuyasha…" she started with a light voice "…do you care to explain yourself?" she ended with more than a hint of menace. Inuyasha gulped and looked at Kagome. She looked down. He turned back toward Kikyo and looked over her shoulder to see Miroku looking stoic and Shippo looking a bit lost and scared. He looked back to Kikyo's eyes and just swallowed at the raw anger and….hate there. He looked at all the angry people in the room and asked "Uhm, so where is Tomasaru?" Everyone just stared harder at him.

"What? So he lost the duel and he's hiding or something?" They now looked at him in confusion. Myoga spoke. "Do you not remember the duel you had with your brother?" Inuyasha just looked confused. "I remember we were matching blades. He gave me a few pointers that really helped, then things get hazy. I remember fighting him but then I can't remember anything else until I woke up. I just remember feeling something, something that made the Teisaiga feel stronger than it ever felt! So what did happen?"

Kikyo looked unconvinced and pissed. "So you do not remember trying to cleave your brother in half? Convenient Inuyasha!" Miroku had a thoughtful look on his face. "Do not readily dismiss this Lady Kikyo. When I entered the clearing I felt a dark power. When I saw Tomasaru I naturally thought it was him. Perhaps it was not, but something that influenced Inuyasha when he was most vulnerable." Inuyasha looked cross. "What do you mean 'at his most vulnerable'?" Miroku looked unperturbed. "When you fight, Inuyasha, you rely on your emotions. Mostly dark ones like anger and hate. There are forces that can use those emotions to turn people into a type of berserker, to fight until the death." Inuyasha paled a bit as Tomasaru's words from the previous night came back to him. 'Calm the hell DOWN and THINK! You are a great fighter but not when you are so angry you can't see straight. Watch my style, watch how I fight, use my style to your advantage!' Inuyasha looked thoughtful. "He was trying to warn me…." The group looked at him to explain.

"I was angry at him before the fight and just got angrier during the fight cause I couldn't touch him! He was telling me to watch my anger so I can better read my opponent. And that's what I did, and the fight got better. But then I felt angry, real angry and that's where things start to get hazy! What the hell happened!" Myoga looked at him. "You charged the Teisaiga with a large amount of power and tried to blow your brother to pieces!" Inuyasha looked sick but then thoughtful. "But how? I don't know HOW I did that." Myoga looked thoughtful. Miroku cut in. "Perhaps the outside force helped you tap into more of the Teisaiga's power? But if that's the case one must ask why? Why give an enemy another possible weapon?"

Kikyo answered for everyone. "To kill a greater enemy. Tomasaru is a fully trained warrior. He could have ended the fight at any time but because Inuyasha was his brother….he did not use his full potential for fear of killing him!" She graced another one of her angry glares at Inuyasha. Kagome spoke up. "I know you are angry at Inuyasha, but if what Miroku says its true then someone manipulated Inuyasha into this! It's not really his fault." Kikyo stood up with a look of horror on her face. The visit from Naraku not so long ago then this. It's making a sick sort of sense. "Naraku…" she whispered. Miroku stiffened as well as Inuyasha. Kagome just glared off into the distance and Shippo looked a bit angry himself.

Kikyo growled. "Naraku is behind this! Of that I haven't a doubt. He tried to break Tomas and I up earlier. Apparently since our bond is strong he's moved on to a weaker one." She gives Inuyasha another glare. He just glared back as best he could. "Hey, it wasn't MY fault. It was HIS idea to fight after all!" he then crossed his arms and looked away. Kikyo kept him in her stare. "I KNOW Tomas. The ONLY reason he fights is to protect something. So tell me Inuyasha, did you leave him any choice BUT to fight to get through to you?" He was silent but everyone saw his ears drop down a bit. That was admission enough.

Kagome looked at everyone. "So now what? You said his demon blood makes him a monster, right?" Inuyasha's head snaps around "WHAT?" Kikyo smiled thinly. "Oh, you did not know? Count yourself lucky Inuyasha." He just glared up at her. "KNOW WHAT?" Myoga sighed. "I had hoped not to burden you with this knowledge Master Inuyasha, but I fear you must. Your brother, and indeed yourself, are hanyou. Born from your mighty father and kind mother. Unfortunately that is not the end. You father's blood is TOO strong for your hanyou bodies. You father knew of this and enchanted the Teisaiga in order to suppress your demon blood. Your brother went to Totosei, the man who forged the Teisaiga, to create for him a sword he could use. Totosei also enchanted it for him to suppress the power of his blood." Kikyo cut in. "But in a battle with a Guardian of a Kami to help a fallen tengue, it shattered. His blood awakened at Totosei's forge shortly after that, then in a battle with Sesshomaru." People's eyes widened at that, they knew Inuyasha's half brother was not to be taken lightly.

Myoga continued. "Yes, when his blood awakens he is not the Tomasaru you know. He becomes as dangerous and unremorseful as any demon! Unfortunately we do not have another sword for him. And I think Totosei is getting tired of forging him new fangs for every time he shatters one!" Kikyo interrupts. "That does not matter at the moment. What DOES matter is getting to him and stopping him from making a huge mistake and killing someone. He will never forgive himself if he kills someone in his state!" Kikyo looked down in sadness. She knew him best. He gave it his all to help those around him. Should he slay someone he was to protect…

Kagome looked determined. "OK, we have to find him, then what?" Myoga answered. "Then we have Kikyo here calm the Master down. She's done it before. And should that prove ineffective we should have him somehow touch Lord Inuyasha's Teisaiga. That also should help recede the demon blood in him." Inuyasha clutched the Teisaiga protectively. "He's NOT getting MY sword!" Kikyo growled at Inuyasha. "It's YOUR fault he is like this now! Take responsibility Inuyasha! Besides, you should know that your brother would never take something belonging to another!" He just gave Kikyo a withering look. "Yeah, I'd know about that wouldn't I….."

Miroku stepped between the two. "Please, what is important now is that we FIND Tomasaru. Anything else we can decide on the way or after." Kagome nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, great idea. But…." They all looked at her expectantly. "…Well, uhm…how are we going to FIND him? He's way faster than Inuyasha and you said he's stronger as a full demon…half demon…whatever he is! So he'll have a big head start. We don't know where he is or where he's going." Inuyasha answered. "I know. He left a trail for me. He isn't even bothering to hide it. Once I can move I can track him." Kagome looked at him in concern. "But your wound…" He just waved her off. "I'm not some weak human, I'll be fine in a few more hours, after that we have to get going or his trail will grow cold." They all nodded and prepared to find their missing comrade.

Tomasaru after he fled the clearing from Miroku and the others.

Damn, I love the forest! I jump from tree to tree. Man, I never felt so FREE! Stupid, weak human side….Hmph! Who needs it? What I need is a kill. I see a wolf. I sees my dinner right now! I dive off of a branch and cut into the wolf. It goes down without realizing it was dead. I start to eat the carcass while I think. Damn weak wolf, that was too easy. I was hungry, but I wanted a fight! Hmm, something about weaklings that piss me off. I feel like I should be….protecting the weak? Yeah right! I'll protect them by not slaughtering them. Not really worth the time. I want to kill something strong. Something that can fight. I sniff the air. Something is coming. Something is coming FAST. Hmm, good, maybe it's strong. I continue to chew on the wolf's carcass when I see a demon run into the clearing. It's watching me eat the wolf with disgust in its eyes. Hmph, like I care what the weakling is looking at!

The wolf demon looked on in disgust. "Inuyasha…..what the HELL do you think you're doing?" I glance up at the wolf demon unconcerned. "I'm having dinner. And the name's not Inuyasha. Also, who the HELL are you?" The demon just snarled at me. "Don't pretend you don't know who I am, MUTT! I'm Kouga of the wolf tribe!" I continue eating the remains and stand when I am finished. "Well, Kouga is it?" He nodded. I just nod with him, sending pieces of flesh stuck to my chin to fall on the ground. "Well, first off I told you I am not Inuyasha, and yet you call me that weak excuse for a brother's name. And second…." I slash my claws in a blinding flash movement that doesn't catch him completely unaware but does hit him on his upper left leg restricting his movements. "I don't like you calling me a Mutt….You see I.." I move again. He has some speed as well but no training really. It wasn't hard at all to read his moves. I punch him in the face and spin kick him into a tree as he falls away. "…REALLY don't like anything derogatory said about my family. Call me old fashioned but…" I use my energy whip to grab onto his right leg as he tried to put some distance between us. I then start smashing him into the ground to the left and right of myself. "…I don't believe weaklings, such as yourself. Have any right to talk to their betters with such vulgarity!" With that I spin him around. Faster and faster then I release him into a large group of trees that he smashes through. I walk leisurely to where his broken body lay bleeding. I use my whip to snag him by the throat and drag him up to meet me eye to eye. "You are lucky you are such a weak demon. I will get no pleasure from butchering you. If you ever cross my path again, be stronger." With that I tossed the wolf demon aside. I then walked away toward the west.

That wasn't even a fight. I have gotten much stronger than the last time I remember. I also remember I lost to someone. It's time to settle with my big brother….

I kept going west. I am deep into the Western Lands. I haven't caught his scent yet but it's only a matter of time. I NEED a strong opponent to fight and he is the only one that beat me and lives. My hearing catches a scream and I can smell the sweet scent of blood. I alter my course. I see a human couple cowering in front of a blue skinned demon. Seemed to have scales. Whatever. I call out "You really get off chasing and killing these weak humans?" I step out of the brush and into the light. The demon scoffs. "These humans are mine! There is a village a little that way, kill your own!" I look at the creature in disgust. "Surely you jest. I want to face a STRONG opponent, not some weak humans and definitely not some weak bully!" He snarled and lunged at me. Fool, he's so slow he might as well be standing still. I guess I should at least TRY to have some fun with him. I truly hate weak things! I simply blur, to his senses anyway, out of his apparent grasp and lean on the tree opposite of him near the human couple. They also cowered from me. They were weak fools but at least they had some sense to fear me.

"I am feeling generous. Leave and hunt weaklings no more or I will hand you a more permanent solution." The foolish demon just snarled and charged again. With a lazy flick of my wrist I sent out my energy whip and cut the fool into chunks of flesh. Hardly a challenge. Forget hardly it wasn't. Damn. The couple found some courage. The male stuttered "Th…thank you..You saved us." I snort. "Don't flatter yourself, human! I just hate to see weaklings prey on weaklings." His mate held onto him tightly and said "No matter your reason's you saved us, so thank you." I felt something. Something in my weak human blood. It felt….pleasurable. Almost as good as the hunt and fighting someone strong. No matter. "Whatever humans. I suggest you scurry back to your village before another demon comes along. I don't like fighting the weak." They nod and run back toward the smells I recognize as a village. I shake my head. Silly humans, thanking me for killing something so pathetic…

I catch my elder brother's scent. I've been traveling for a few days. I must say I am truly bored. Any battle I engage in I know for certain I have won. A few seconds into the battle it is a fact. My blood…..burns for something. A challenge! Something to test my might. I am closer to my brother. He seems to sense me and is traveling in my direction. Good.

Finally. I am waiting on a plain grassy hill for my brother to emerge. Hmm, he seems to have brought Jaken. Disgusting toad. Obnoxious voice as well. No matter. I'll kill him after his master so he may accompany Sesshomaru into the nether realm. Hmm, it seems he is missing his right arm. I hope it does not affect his overall performance. I do not a victory over a crippled enemy. He looks at me and sneer while Jaken looks on in amazement. "How can you, a Hanyou, have the royal markings?" I smile thinly at him. Irritating toad. "Because I am of royal blood, don't you know anything of your Lord's lineage?"

Sesshomaru was stoic. "It seems you have fallen victim of your blood yet again….little brother." I growl. "I still managed to beat you plenty of times over the years with my human blood diluting my power." He just smirked at me. "That human blood kept you balanced. Now you are nothing more than a hanyou on a power high with Father's blood. A bastard child like yourself is not even worthy of a drop of it, much less half!" I crack my claws and get into a fighting stance. "I'm not on a high Sessy, I'm as much Father's son as you are. Only difference is that the bastard son is going to slaughter the pure blood!" I rush at him and he gracefully slides out of the way. Not to be so easily thwarted I adjust my trajectory to manage to get closer. I manage to tear into his robes but don't land a wound. I smile. Finally, a TRUE battle.

Jaken was VERY upset. "How dare you attack Lord Sesshomaru-sama! You are nothing more than his Father's lapse in judgement! A worthless mistake! A…" he never did finish his statement. I just used my whip to knock the fool into a heavy rock and out of consciousness. Sesshomaru merely raised his eyebrow in mild surprise. "You did not kill him." I snorted. "He's not worth the effort. I want to kill the strong, those worthy to battle! I'll probably kill him if only so he may join you in the underworld." Sesshomaru looked a bit angry, maybe he likes the toad more that I thought. I attack again. He moves out of the way and lashes out with his poison whip. I use one of my own to block and the other hand to send out a few blades of power to slice him. He evaded four of the five but one caught him in the right shoulder. If he still had an arm there it would have been a good blow…

I smile in satisfaction and anticipation. This battle is lasting much longer than my previous ones. And Sess is just as good as I remember him to be. Still, with one arm and us being equal in terms of speed this is going to be an eventual victory. I don't want that. I want to fight tooth and nail for this. I don't want it to be a forgone conclusion. I jump away and Sess looks mildly surprised. "This is going well brother, but your lack of an arm is spoiling the battle for me. Fighting you in this way is like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. You know who will lose." His face tightened. "Filthy half breed, you have yet to see my true power!" With that he glowed green and came at me. His speed was surprising and I was having a hard time dodging his claw. Difficult, but not overly so. If he had two claws I'd have been in real trouble, which burned in me. I dodge one last time and lash out with a powerful kick that sends him airborne and away. Straightening myself I snarl.

I watch him struggle to get up and for some reason I do not press my advantage. Damn it WHY? I can kill him, I KNOW I can. But, he is crippled. He was still a powerful opponent. He'd be more powerful with both his arms. But I beat him, his life belongs to me…..Damn it! It's like I have two sides screaming at me. Sesshomaru is just looking warily at me. I have him and he knows it. If he transforms he will be in a greater disadvantage without his arm. Why, why won't I strike the finishing blow? I look at him. Both my sides dislike him, but there is something else. I look at his face, his regal features. I see the smooth lines adorning his face and reach to feel mine, jagged and deformed. Is he truly of royal blood and I am merely a bastard offspring? My power. I can feel it bubbling to the surface, begging me to slaughter all I see. Wait. ALL I see?

I think back. My power was always whispering for me to use it and I did, but only against those I found worthy, and that was only Sesshomaru. All the others I fought I took no pleasure in killing them because….why? They were weak. My power wants me to crush all yet I only used it to try to fight strong demons. I looked at Sesshomaru, really looked. I see all his lines of power. But they are not random, they are organized. He has them under his tight control. Like I have mine. But his is better. More controlled. Control….

"Brother…" He backs away slowly but does not break eye contact. "I believe you in your observation." He looked a bit confused. "Which observation would that be?" I smiled at him, but I did not let the hunger leak in. What I see in front of me is proof that all these urges and so called needs can be restrained and controlled by a person's strength of will. Already more memories are coming back. Not just of fighting and battles but other moments. Happy moments…

"That I was a hanyou who was on a high from Father's blood." His eye's widened a bit and I can see him sniff. "Your scent has changed, but subtly. You still smell like a full demon." I smile at him and I can see his eye's widen. Its one of my old smiles. "I have you to thank, Elder Brother." He seems taken aback. "Me?" I nodded. "Yeah, our battle and it's insight allowed me to see past the cravings of the blood." He just looked skeptical at me. "Impossible. You are a hanyou, to be able to handle the demon blood within you, to be able to handle FATHER'S blood within you is impossible for a half breed mongrel such as yourself!" I feel a flare of anger and I suppress it. This is more difficult than I thought. And it's also not a matter of just clinging to my humanity or any such garbage. He's right, the demon blood within me wanted to burn away all of the human blood in me as well. My humanity tried to hide within myself until the demon blood subsided. It never did. Now I had my demon blood and human blood warring within myself for control. I looked at Sesshomau and something just…relaxed in me. My father and mother loved eachother. Human AND demon. They had me and Inuyasha. Why would my blood NEED to fight? I don't WANT to be either. I am my Father's Son as well as my Mother's. With that realization, I knew that I COULD control this. My blood may swing one way or the other. One night a month I am human. Why COULDN'T I be demon as well? As long as I remember what I am and who I am it shouldn't matter.

I felt a change in me but I could not put my finger on what. I can see Sess looking at me in horror. I never thought I'd see emotion on HIS face, but why the hell is he so upset? When I was prepared to kill him he didn't seem this….disgusted. I hear him murmur "Impossible!" I see Jaken come to and I look as he struggles to rise. "Oh, that lousy hanyou….Oh Lord Sesshomaru-sama!" He rushed to his Lord's side and turns to glare at me. "You good for….." I see his already huge eyes widen and his jaw hits the floor. What the hell is his problem? Both of them! Did I revert back to my regular hanyou form? I look at my claws. They seem a bit longer than usual, but nothing to be acting weird about. "What's wrong with you two?" I blink. My voice sounds a bit deeper. They are both looking at me in even further shock.

I just shake my head and turn and walk away. As I walk toward where I smell Yasha and the others I say "Sess, thanks. I'll find a way to repay you for this." Damn, I wonder why they looked like that?

It seems they were pretty much hot on my heels. It took me a little less than a day to reach them. I feel like I am much faster than before. Maybe it's because I am not denying anything about myself. I am not shunning my human blood nor my demon. Now I seem to be getting the peaks of both sides. As I emerge from some tree hopping I land in the road in front of them. I wave. "Hi guys, miss me?" They just looked at me in shock. I wave my hands. "Hello? You guys in there?" I see Kikyo hesitantly come toward me. She's shaking. I walk to her. She doesn't seem to be steady. "Hi Kikyo, I missed you." She started crying and grabbed me in a hug. Damn….DAMN! AIR!

"Kik….yo….air…." I wheeze and she lightened her death grip. She looks at me with tears in her eyes. "By the Kamis Tomas, what HAPPENED to you?" I look at her confused. "I….dunno. I managed to control my blood. That's always good. I don't think I'll be turning into a blood thirsty demon anytime." Inuyasha is just looking at me in disbelief and I see Myoga on his shoulders. Why in ALL Kamis is MYOGA crying? I look around and everyone seems to be staring at me. 

"What the hell is WRONG with you people?" I yelled in exasperation. Kagome spoke up softly. "Well, you…you…look…well.." I blink. "Like I always do?" Everyone shook their heads no. Miroku looked to be at a loss for words. Which is a first. Which also got me VERY worried. Inuyasha was stumbling "Well, you look….uhm older…" Shippo cut in "You look taller too!" I look at Kagome "Uhm, a bit like Sesshomaru…" I looked into Kikyo's eyes but before she spoke I hear Myoga reverently say "You look just like your father…." I looked at him with wide eyes. "WHAT?" Along with everyone else.

Myoga looked….I don't know, nostalgic maybe? It was an expression I never quite saw on his face. "Well, you still have your hanyou ears and no tail, but you are almost his spitting image in his early days!" I just shrug. "Well, whatever. So I grew up a bit. We have bigger things to worry about. Like now I don't have a sword." I glare a bit at my brother.

Kagome came to his defense almost immediately. "It's not HIS fault. Someone was using a compulsion spell to make him angry enough to strike at you like that." I didn't soften my glare at him. "That wouldn't have made a difference if he fought with more control." I get right into Yasha's face. "here is something my pathetic human instructor told me. It's kept me alive in a few nasty battles so listen good! Control your emotions, don't let them control you. If you use your emotions like a horse you better be good at riding the horse or you'll be dragged along and killed by it!"

I turn to everyone. "Now that's out of the way, I guess we need to go to Totosei's to make me a new sword." Everyone agreed but Inuyasha. Damn it, why can't he agree just once! "We don't have time for this. We have to find the jewel shards!" I roll my eyes. The jewel pieces will still be there, or they won't and we'll still have to find them. It'd be better if we did this in a group. Naraku seems to be targeting us to break us up. That means…" Miroku finished my thought. "…He believes us to be a greater threat together!" I smile at him. "You are just like your ancestor." He groped Kagome, Inuyasha then hit him RIGHT into the ground. I sighed. "You are TOO much like your ancestor…."

We set up camp since Miroku was seeing a few more people than he should be seeing. I'd have healed him with my sword if SOMEONE didn't shatter it. I looked to see little Shippo was giving me somewhat nervous looks. I sighed and turned to Kikyo at my side. "I'll be right back. I think Shippo is a bit frightened of me." She put her hand on my arm, stopping me. "Leave the child be. He will get over it in time." I looked at her with haunted eyes. "Believe me Kikyo, to be a child and to be around something that frightens you is not something you should leave alone. I want to be sure he can at least sleep right in my presence." She just nodded. I make my way over to Kagome and Shipo. Shippo was in her arms enjoying her comfort as only a child can. "Hey Kagome, mind if me and Shippo have a chat?" I can see the little boy's eyes widen in fear and I nod at Kagome. She understands and tells Shippo she'll be right by Inuyasha.

I look at the little kit and sit right along side him. He's squirming and trying not to look me in the eyes. "Shippo, look at me." He's just shaking a bit, looks like he's on the verge of crying. I can see both Kagome and Kikyo looking at me. I feel the other two in our group are as well, only not so overtly. "Shippo, this is important. I need you to look at me. I want to teach you something. Please, just trust me one more time and look at me." I can see his eyes meet mine. I can see the fear there and it tears at my heart. "Good, what do you see?" His fear is overcome by confusion. "Wha…What do you meant, they're your eyes, there gold…." I smile and shake my head. "I'm going to show you a trick my Master taught me at your age" Although I am not going to stick him in the middle of a demon hating village to see who to trust….Baka Hiko!

"The eyes, Shippo, are the windows to the soul. My Master taught me to anticipate an enemy's movements by just looking at his eyes. You can tell what they plan to do. Naturally there are defenses for that but you can see the defenses. If they are up you know not to trust the person anyway. So look into my eyes Shippo, what do you see?"

Shippo looked a bit confused and he tried to comply. "I…I…I see calm. You're calm, and happy. Sad too?" I smile and nod. "Now I know it's a bad memory, but when I went nuts what did you see?" I saw him shiver and cursed myself. I never, EVER, wanted a child to react to me like I was a monster. That worst part about it is he has just cause for thinking me one. "Your eyes…they were hungry. And cold. Blood thirsty!" I nodded sadly at this. "If you ever feel unsure about me or anyone else. Look into the eyes. I wanted to teach you this because I didn't want you to fear a memory. I didn't want you to fear me." He looked at me with soulful green eyes. "Who would be scared of a wussy hanyou like you?" I smiled at him. "Right!" I put my hand on his head and ruffle his hair. "Night Shippo." She smiled at me. "Night Mog-san!" I smile and turn. I stop.

I look around. Kikyo wouldn't have told so that left…I crack my claws and I look at Miroku. The bastard is making to look like he was sleeping off the blow Inuyasha gave him earlier. I stomp over to him and talk over his too still body. "You know, the funny thing about sleeping. A person can't sleep when their heart is beating really fast, like yours monk!" I lift him up with one hand and I glare into his guilty eyes. "I told you not to tell. It was simple enough. Don't tell the story. I asked you Miroku. I told you what might happen." I grab his right arm with my other hand and I saw some real fear there. "Far be it from me to break my word…." He's pale and sweating. I feel a tap on the shoulder. Kikyo is standing there tapping her foot and looks to be a step away from grabbing my ear. I can see Shippo laughing and telling Inuyasha and Kagome. They looked confused at the name Shippo told them and Kikyo is looking for an explanation. I growl out, "The pervert talked about…..Mog….san" I let the last part out in a soft embarrassed whisper. It didn't help when Kikyo started laughing hysterically and fell to the ground clutching her sides. Kagome and inuyasha looked on in interest and Miroku seemed to be turning blue from lack of oxygen. Cursing the Kamis I let him fall in a heap in the ground. While he gasps for breath….and much to my annoyance Kikyo as well, Kagome comes up to me with a curious gaze. "What's the big deal with the name?"

I growl. "The damn monk KNEW I hated that name and I TOLD him not to tell anyone else. It's…..embarrassing!" Kikyo recovered from her fit of laughter on the floor and cut in. "I thought it was so endearing and cute! Come on, its not THAT bad!" I growl again. Not that bad for YOU maybe. It mocks my hanyou heritage! Yasha just looked annoyed. "What's the deal with that stupid name anyway?" I let out a much larger growl. Myoga chipped in. "Yes, this is a name I have never heard, much less referenced to you my Lord." I slump to a sitting position muttering "Against me, they are all against me…"

Kikyo rolled her eyes at me. Traitor! "Mog-chan rescued a little girl when we traveled together…for the first time. Anyway, the poor child just saw her whole village, family, and friends massacred by the demon Naraku. To help lift her spirits he made a very delightful name up…" She was enjoying this. I can tell by the look in her eyes. I think I might have referred the anti-social soul sucking Kikyo to this one… I whine "Kikyo…." She smirks at me. Oh I'll get even, mark my words woman…

"Oh, he's just a big baby. The child asks him what he was. So he put on this big production how he's a Mog, half man, half dog, he's his _own_ best friend! It was SO adorable and the child just latched onto him and was glued to his side." I just had my head in my hand with Kagome giggled and I could feel my brother's amused gaze. "Inuyasha, may I have Teisaiga for a minute?" He gripped his sword possessively and asked "Why?" With my head still cradled in my hands I answered "I think Kikyo got most of my manhood with that story, I just wanted to make sure she got the rest…" Inuyasha snorted. Kagome blanched saying "Ewwww". Shippo just looked confused….don't worry kid, you're not in for this type of pain for years to come…I envy you! Miroku just smiled as he lay on the ground with swirly eyes. Kiyo just moved toward our bedroll and grabbed my right ear in a gentle, but firm, grip. "Come on you big baby, let's go to bed!" I just whine "I am nooot!" as I allow myself to be dragged away.

Everyone just blinked. Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "You have first watch." When he went to protest she was snug in her bedroll. He glared at her back. "Come ON, I KNOW you are not asleep!" She made a few fake snores. He glances over and sees everyone else in their bed rolls. "It's not fair…." He whined. I called out from my bedroll with Kikyo. "Welcome to my life brother!" I then got a sound smack on the top of my head and decided that silence was my best option at this point.

So after about a little more than a week we are at Totosei's forge. I asked him if he's like to live in Outkast once but he is too much the hermit to live with all those people around. Demon and otherwise. We walked into his forge. Seems smaller to me somehow. I guess growing a few inches takes some getting used to. My balance was a bit out of whack for a while but I compensated. Myoga called out. "Totosei!" We saw him stiffen bring his hammer down on his thumb. We watched in fascination as, starting from his toes, his whole body turned red as a tomato. We saw a vein on the back of his head throb as well as his injured thumb which grew three times larger. He then turned to us with tears streaming from his face crying in pain. I sweatdropped. Not the introduction I was going for. Kagome leaned into my ear. "THIS is the guy that forged your sword and the Teisaiga?" I shared an amused glance with Kikyo before answering yes. He looked at us in pain. When he got to me the pain act vanished and he paled in shock. "M…My LORD?"

Myoga looked smug on my shoulder. "Not QUITE Totosei. I'm sure you remember Lord Tomasaru?" He looked at me in renewed shock. "That can't be him! Look at those royal markings! No hanyou can have them that smooth! And he has THREE on each cheek. Just like…" Myoga nodded while the rest of the group felt as lost as I did. "What do the lines mean? Myoga?" Myoga looked a bit guilty on my shoulder and he leapt off to sit at the table. Totosei sat on the chair behind him. Myoga started his lecture mode. "The marking on a demon's face represents his class. A smooth line means he is of pure stock. That and the purity of the power he can wield. The amount of lines represents his power….well power and position." I looked on in a bit of shock. "Sesshomaru only has TWO lines. Why do I have one more?" Totosei seemed like he wanted to say something. "Yeah boy, that's what threw me for a loop. Your father had the three markings of power on his face. Sesshomaru had one, maybe he reached the second when your father died. You see, its not something EVERY demon is BORN with. It takes time. Usually the longer a demon lives the more powerful it becomes. The lines are a physical manifestation of a demon's power."

I just shake my head. "I'm a half demon. A HANYOU! NOT a full demon!" inuyasha spoke up softly. "You don't smell like a hanyou anymore. Hell, you don't smell like any demon I've ever met. Something changed but I don't know WHAT my nose is smelling!" Miroku nodded. "Yes, your power has changed. It used to be like a river when we met, now it feels more like an ocean." I can see Kikyo nodding at that. I shrug. "Well, I am who I always was so I have a few mines on my face and smell different, no big deal." Myoga just jumped up and down. "No big deal? Master what you have done most demons can not do! Not only that but you are a hanyou and yet your demon blood is not consuming your human blood and indeed your very soul!" I rub the back of my head. "Oh that, don't worry. That can't happen, not anymore." Everyone looked intrigued. Especially Inuyasha. Totosei muttered "How? How did you do it boy?"

All this attention is making me nervous but I answer. "I accepted myself." I see everyone just blink at that and sigh. How the hell am I going to explain an epiphany? "Well, my demon blood wanted to purge me of my human blood because it thought it was weak, and my human side was fighting my demonic urges because it felt they were morally wrong. My demon side is….well not PHYSICALLY stronger though that is the case but it was made to fight. There was no way my human side could win against my demonic side in a fight because my demonic side uses all the power and urges for battle." I see everyone is paying close attention. "While I fought with Sesshomaru I saw how controlled he was. He was a full demon, meaning he has all these urges I was feeling in spades. He was able to control it. Then I thought about it. I could control it as well. But……. why cage my demonic side? It's every bit a part of me as my human side. When I realized that I felt….I don't know, something, like an agreement reached inside my very soul! My demon side didn't NEED to eradicate my human side. And my human side didn't NEED to impose itself on my demon side. My father was ALL demon and he was as noble as they come. So I thought there was no reason for my two sides to fight!"

Miroku just looked at me. "You can't be serious, THAT was all?" with skepticism deep in his voice and I saw doubt on most of everyone's faces, including Inuyasha. I got a bit angry. "I'm not saying it was easy! I'm not saying it was a sort of switch I had to throw in my head! I'm saying that I reached a balance in myself. I accepted my human side as well as my demonic side. They are BOTH a part of me that I would not change for ANYTHING! When I realized this, I realized that I don't NEED to fight with myself or my instincts. I am still myself. My demonic side was just me out of balance. Doing things that deep in my blood I wanted to do. Fight a strong opponent. I did not kill anyone weaker than myself unless they were picking on those weaker than themselves." I saw them looking thoughtful. Good. I looked straight at Inuyasha. "I accepted both halves of myself. The good and the bad. I don't crave the power of the demon nor do I believe I am always right and have the arrogance of a human. What Myoga warned about our father's blood was correct. But I chose NOT to fight. Sometimes, that's the only way you can win."

Totosei was looking like he was falling asleep. God, I forgot how irritating it was to need his help. I stomp over to his ear. "HEY OLD MAN!" He jumped up and glared at me. "You want to kill me boy?" I shake my head. I've learned there are some questions you do NOT answer. That one is up there with the question Kikyo asks "Do I look fat?" No good can come from answering. "I need a new sword." His eyes bug out and I can see he is turning red from rage. "You BROKE another one?" I roll my eyes. "The first one you made was junk, remember that old man?" He had the decency to look a bit ashamed. "How did you break this one? Fighting a Kami this time instead of his guardian?" I shook my head and pointed a clawed thumb to my brother. "Grumpy there broke it with the Teisaiga!" Inuyasha looked indignant. "I am NOT grumpy!" Everyone in the room stared hard at him. He started twirling his toe in the dirt and mumbled "I am NOT…."

Totosei just looked at me in trepidation. "Uh, hey sonny, look up at the roof over there. I've got something you might want to see." I looked up with my mouth slightly open. His hand flashed and my mouth rumbled with pain.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…….

Kikyo hit me over the head pausing my screams of torment. "Do not be such a child Tomas!" I looked at her with tears of pain flowing down my cheeks. "It HURT! And this is the THIRD TIME!" She shook her head and started playing with my ears. I fell into her arms almost immediately and mumbled "No fair.." She just smiled smugly and hit a few…..oh DAMN nice spots….

Totosei just shook his head in disgust and walked away. The others looked on in various stages of amusement. All except Inuyasha who looked at the scene and stormed out. Kagome looked torn but followed. As I lay curled in her lap I hope the both of them can work things out.

A few hours later we are all in a spare room…..Actually we are in the only other room in the place. The forge takes up most of the place. We are all gathered in groups. My and Kikyo sat close together. To my other side there was Miroku. He's too much like his ancestor to trust near Kikyo. Inuyasha was on his other side with Kagome who had Shippo in her lap. Apparently he felt the same way about the monk's advances. He and Kagome look like something happened between them. I don't know what but I hope its for the better. Totosei with Myoga on his shoulder come in. They looked troubled. Myoga jumped into the center of our little circle.

"Lord Tomasaru, I have some….well rather interesting news about your sword." I roll my eyes. "Get to the point Myoga, and it's only been a few hours, it usually takes Totosei a week or more to create a sword." He nodded his small head. "Yes, that is true but while working with your fangs he….well….Totosei tell them what you found!" With that the flea tried to flee. I didn't bother trying to catch him. Kikyo's quick hands plucked him out of midair and tossed him into Inuyasha's waiting palms where he slapped him flat. We turned to Totosei who muttered about cowardly fleas.

"Well, while working with these fangs, they….reacted much like how the Tensaiga and Teisaiga did when I forged them. They also seem to have a shape much like….well…" Sheesh. "Just spit it out already!" He closed his eyes. "…Like how a fang would look in your true form!" I blinked as well as everyone else. "Uhm, you mean it's going to look like a toothpick or something?" He took his hammer and whammed me in the head with it! DAMN! "Owww, you wanna die or something?" He just looked angrily at me. "I'm trying to tell you something important and you are making fun of me!" I rub my sore head and snarl "Spit it out then!"

Myoga recaptured everyone's attention. "Apparently, with your new control over yourself and your blood, you are able to….shift forms much like your Father and older brother Sesshomaru." I blink as well as everyone else. Inuyasha points out "Myoga, what are you stupid or something? He's a hanyou, like me! We can't change out shapes like Pop or Sesshomaru!" Myoga looked angry at the suggestion he was dumb and did not know what he was talking about. "Look at your brother Lord Inuyasha. His facial marks CLEARLY shows he is a demon of high standing. Even though there are no real cases of hanyous being able to do such things there are no cases of Hanyous bearing the Royal Marks!" While everyone was stunned Totosei continued. "I am only telling you this because his fangs transformed while I was working with them. They bare a striking resemblance to the Tensaiga and Teisaiga! As before I am forging him a sword with both of their powers into one sword. I however do NOT know how this will end up."

He looks at me. "Each sword I forged for you has become stronger than the last. This is no different. However, this one may change forms as the Teisaiga. Or it may stay in the form of the Tensaiga. Normally I'd be able to tell you since I'm making it but putting the two forces into the sword like this will make it unstable." I interrupt. "Well, then let it have two forms. The war form of Teisaiga and the form of Tensaiga for healing. Just don't make the Tensaiga side as useless in a fight as the original. I'd like to be able to fight with that side a bit as well." Totosei looked intrigued. "It won't have many of the powers as if would in the Teisaiga form…" I wave my hand at that. "You know me by now. I can make do with a little power by using skill. I'd like to have that transformation as a nasty surprise if things get too rough." Totosei just nodded and left to forge my sword. Myoga hopped onto my shoulder.

"Master, I believe it to be wise to see if you can trigger a transformation into a dog form." I shook my head. "No offense Myoga, but I've had enough playing around with the blood in my veins for a while. What if I transform and go nuts?" Myoga just waved my concerns off. "We have your brother, Lady Kagome and Kikyo, as well as the powerful monk Miroku, what could go wrong?" My jaw went slack. I shake my head vigorously after that. "No way I'm trying after you said THAT!" Miroku shook his head. "Why not? Any advantage we can press against Naraku as well as recovering the Shikon no Tama fragments we should take." Everyone else nodded, even Inuyasha. I looked down hesitantly. "But….he said 'What could go wrong?'" I got a few blinks from that.

I stand up. "Come ON! When someone says THAT something ALWAYS goes wrong. Nope, no WAY I am doing it!" I see various blinks in the room. I don't care. I've learned something for the past fifty or so years. You do NOT ask what could go wrong. Some deity will happily prove all the nasty little things that could. Shippo muttered "He's nuts…" Fine, mock me. I am NOT turning into a big dog. It didn't work in Ghostbusters, it won't work here!

Kagome looked at me pleadingly. "Come on, if you can turn into something like Sesshomaru it would be a big help." I shook my head and crossed my arms. "Nope, no way!" Miroku tried. "Come now, you do not believe in such a silly superstition?" I shake my head. "I've seen way too much not to." Inuyasha just looked disgusted. "After all you've done, all you've been through your SCARED? What happened to the Mighty Tomasaru, warrior extraordinaire?" I look at him evenly. "He got turned into a rampaging demon enough, thank you very much!" I turned and saw Kikyo looking at me in disappointment. "This ability could greatly help us. Is your fear truly so great?" I growl. Damn IT! Not her….I can't say no to her.

"I think of it more of caution. I just got a handle on this demon blood. Rushing into transforming into something I know NOTHING of is dangerous. Too dangerous. The sword will be enough. I don't want to try this Kikyo, gives me a bad feeling. ESPECIALLY after certain comments." Kikyo just looked me into the eyes and put her hand in mine. "This new form. It is now a much a part of you as your blood. What if you trigger te transformation accidentally. I know it will be dangerous but it will be even more dangerous to simply ignore this and hope it never happens." I sigh. "I can't say no to you, and you know that…" I place my forehead on hers. "…I hope this doesn't go wrong." She looks at me and I can see the fear in her eyes. "As do I."

We were all outside. I was looking them all feeling rather stupid. Kagome asked "Well, go ahead. Then into a dog." I roll my eyes. "Yeah, well can anyone suggest how?" Miroku said with complete seriousness "Get in touch with your inner dog Mog-san." I heard a few wheezing laughs and I growled. "Keep talking monk and you are going to be a chew toy!" He just blanched a bit and looked elsewhere. I turn to Myoga. "Well this is your bright idea. Know how I'm supposed to do this?" Myoga looked thoughtful. "Hmm, well I never actually asked Your Father or Sesshomaru exactly HOW they transformed…" I shake my head. "I doubt Sess would be willing to train me. Well, I guess we should call this a day!" I try to head back in but Kikyo's arm on mine stopped me. "At least try Tomas.." Oh damn you Kikyo!

I sigh and go back to the clearing. I close my eyes. Turn into a dog…..Well thinking that didn't work! I really didn't want to try to screw around with the balance I created. So I'm not going to think I need to be more demon or anything. They said I can turn into a dog as is. Crap, how the hell do I get stuck in these situations? OK. Turning into a dog is natural….well at least for my Father and brother. I think back to the battle long ago when Sesshomaru transformed. His demonic aura flared then. That suggests that demonic power is used as a sort of trigger. Alright. I release my aura and let it wrap around me. Man, it's been a WHILE since I let my aura out. When keeping it wrapped inside I am harder to track and find. OK, stop getting sidetracked.

Alright. My power is released. Now what to DO with it? Well, shaping the aura in the shape of a dog didn't work due to the snickers I heard. Grrr…WHOAA! Growling and the aggression I felt made me feel…..something. I never felt anything like that. Could this be the key? I growl and think of some things I thought of while I was an unbalanced demon. Hunting and fighting. I can feel something….shape inside me. I feel….light headed…..wha…..

The others watched in shock as Tomasaru's aura manifested. They got a bit of a chuckle when it shaped itself to a dog looking like Scooby Doo. He then glowed. And growed…..and growed…….They looked up and saw where he once stood a huge, all white dog stood proudly. It was easily Sesshomaru's size, probably larger. It's golden eyes swept over them hungrily. It lifted its lips, and growled……

All right! Done. Sheesh, I can't believe I finished this. And why am I not getting ANY reviews. I got one for the new story arc! Come on, Let me know what you all THINK. What you suggest? Come on, I'm as open as 7-11 and twice as friendly!


	5. Chapter 5

Welcome to chapter….what the hell am I up to? Well, this is the next chapter. Man, I feel so underappreciated! Come on! Tell me it sucks at least! Every chapter I rant about no reviews and ta daaaaaa, no reviews. What does a guy have to do? Come on, I'm begging here. There must be SOMEONE reading this! OK, disclaimer. I own nothing. I have nothing. Have nothing and like it…..I'm just down man….

Inuyasha just looked up at the growling, salivating, white dog that used to be their friend. The monster's lips snarled and a paw lashed out at Inuyasha. He dived out of the way and the rest of the group scattered. Miroku muttered "Perhaps this was not the best idea…" The dog's eyes zeroed in on him and growled low. He gulped and prepared a ward. He threw it with pinpoint accuracy and hit Tomasaru directly between the eyes. The creature's eyes crossed looking at the ward, then negligibly tore it off with a paw. Miroku paled further. "This might be bad…"

Inuyasha drew and transformed the Teisaiga. He took two steps towards his transformed brother when an arrow crossed his path. Looking startled he saw Kikyo notching another arrow. "Do NOT use your sword Inuyasha! We do not want to kill him." Inuyasha looked frustrated. "Well, what do you want me to do? Smack him on the nose with a stick?" She just glared at him. Kagome called out "Put the sword away Inuyasha, maybe we can reach him!" Rolling his eyes he complied. Kikyo had a thoughtful look to her eyes. Inuyasha just grumbled "What are we going to do? He was a good guy but, that was before he got turned into a dog!" Kikyo was about to reply before seeing the huge beast snapping his jaws at little Shippo. The child's eyes were full of tears as he cried "Someone HELP ME!"

Kikyo rushed to the kit's defense. Just as the jaws of the beast was about to close on the fox demon she pushed him out of the way to see the huge maw coming toward her. She vaguely heard cries of alarm but she closed her eyes and prayed Tomas would forgive himself…..She felt the air around her sucked in and her hair blow upwards. She looked up to see the huge dogs face inches away from her. It was….sniffing her. The head came closer and looked directly into her eyes. She saw no intelligence in the eyes however. The creature lowered its head and rumbled. Its mouth opened and she felt fear.

Then she felt wet and disgusted as the creature licked her entire body. "Ugh! He slimed me!" she exclaimed as the huge monster happily waved its huge tail and nearly knocked her over with its nose. Miroku took a serious pose. "Well, I guess he was just playing." Everyone just stared at him in disbelief as Shippo jumped up and down in front of the monk. "He tried to EAT me and you say he was PLAYING?" He just shrugged. "We all know how fast Tomasaru is. Coupled with the added power of his transformation he should have had no problems eating you if he wanted." Inuyasha just mumbled "He could have been playing with his food…" Miroku pretended like he didn't hear it but Shippo definitely did.

Mean while Kikyo was petting the affectionate, but huge animal. Tomasaru rolled over onto his back, crushing some trees and barely getting Shippo who was still arguing with Miroku. It's eyes looked toward Kikyo as its huge tongue lolled to its side. Kagome just muttered "I don't think this is something very useful…" as Kikyo rubbed the monster's belly. Kikyo looked at the others from petting it's belly. "It has calmed, but how do we change him back?" Inuyasha answered in a grumpy voice "We don't even know HOW he changed in the first place!" Myoga just sighed as he came out of a bush. "We need to keep him calm. He'll probably snap out of this soon enough." Inuyasha just snarled at the cowardly flea. "Where the hell were you when he was going nuts?" Looking dignified he said "I…err….I was knocked back into the trees and made it here as quickly as I could!"

Shippo just said "Yeah, just when it was safe!" They all heard a crash and saw Tomasaru's tail had knocked over a few trees while wildly wagging. Kikyo just rolled her eyes from her perch on his belly as she rubbed. "Even like this he's a moron…" she muttered fondly. The creature under her just whined for more attention. Kagome just sighed and shook her head. "How can so many weird things keep happening one after another like this…." Myoga jumped on her shoulder. "Do not concern yourself with that. I have learned that both the Masters have a knack for getting into situations most people couldn't even imagine!" She just looked at the sight of Kikyo on the ground scratching behind the ear of the huge dog as it lay on the ground panting happily. "This definitely qualifies. I wonder where they get it from?" Myoga scoffs. "Their father of course! I swear, I never met a demon who can attract trouble and powerful enemies like he did!"

I came to feeling really happy…Hmm, I guess transforming wasn't too bad an idea. I lift my head and I can feel a difference. My body….it's CHANGED. I have paws. I feel something on my ass. I'll assume that's a tail. I try to talk but all I get out is a confused growl. Hmm, seems I can't talk like this. I feel something clutching the fur on my face. Kikyo…hmm….

I remembered how she pushed me into this. I also remember how she delightfully told everyone about the little name Mog-san. Well Kikyo, I promised to pay you back and I always keep my word. If I could have smiled evilly I would have. I make a few whinny growls and rub my head toward her. I try to get as much mucus in my nose as possible. As I sniff her I try to sniff some of the dirt. Good, I…feel it…Ahchoo! I let most of it out my nose which was directly in front of her. I see the green goo covering her and hear her vile curses and pat myself on the back for a job well done. I sit back on my hind legs to admire the view. I can see the others are snickering and Kikyo is trying in vain to wipe the slime off her. Ha, don't mess with me WOMAN! I laugh, or do a doggy equivalent of it. She looks at me with murder in her eyes and I can feel myself getting nervous. I roll my eyes upward. I'm just a doggy….

Her eyes narrow. Damn, she's smart when she's pissed. I can hear her call out sweetly "Tomasaru…." I can't help it! My ears drop a little. I see her getting angrier. "You did this.." she gestured to her slimy self "…on PURPOSE." I shake my head vigorously no. Hmm, this must be a sight. Kikyo bullying me when I'm Godzilla size. Uh oh…she's coming closer. I get up and back away a bit. I try to whine in a cute way but she's not having any of it. I race to think. What can I do? I don't really know how to run and such in this form. I am having enough trouble just getting around. I need to change back. I look back to the approaching Kikyo. I need to change back NOW! Apparently dire need helps as things start getting smaller. I am back at my normal size and I can see Kikyo's eyes up close and personal as she stalks me. Eeping I run away with her in hot pursuit. Miroku seems to be having lunch with Kagome and Shippo. They are just watching with amused eyes as I run for my life. TRAITORS! I'm surrounded by traitors. I keep running when I trip over something. A foot. Connected to a leg. "Inuyasha you traitor!" He just grinned and made room for the charging Kikyo. I just look at her with big puppy dog eyes. "I'm sorry…." She smirked evilly and reached for my right ear "Not yet your not…"

I massage my poor ear in Totosei's place while Kagome and Kikyo are out bathing. I get no sympathy from any of the other males. I glare at them. "When you guys have women, I'll remember this!" I look at Yasha with a pointed look. "You days are coming soon bro!" He just blushed and denied everything. Yeah yeah, sure bro. I look at Miroku. He'll be a tough one but one he finds the right woman he's mine too! I turn my eyes to Shippo. OK, he gets a free pass for being a kid and being ignorant. I sigh. I can transform but its far from perfect. I don't think playing around with it now is the best time. After what happened everyone agreed with me. Why do people listen to me AFTER the disaster when I warned them NOT to do it in the first place? Man, they must be masochists or something.

After a week at Totosei's we all were feeling a bit edgy. Kikyo forgave me but I took a lot of glares and cold shoulders. There is no justice in the world. A woman embarrasses a guy its funny, a guy does it to a woman and get out the executioner's block! My sword looked just like my old one. Well, except I can change it to a higher form that looks a bit like the Tetsusaiga transformed. The blade is a bit whiter and the fur by the hilt is black, matching the hilt color. The untransformed state has greater healing properties than my old sword. Its power now is closer to the Tensaiga's only magical deaths are still a problem with the sword. I can also use it to cut and kill, though its destructive power is no where near that of its transformed state. That's fine by me. I don't go for destroying chunks of landscape during a fight.

FINALLY, we are back on the road looking for jewel shards. I swear, it seems we keep getting stopped for the dumbest of reasons. As Kikyo and Kagome pool their powers to try to extend their range of perception the rest of us just followed. There was nothing to do but walk and follow them. I sighed. This was BORING! Kikyo came up to me excitedly. "We found another jewel piece, it feels real strong! Guess where it is?" I just roll my eyes. "Just tell Kikyo" She just looked at me brightly. "The Demon Hunter village!" That got a smile out of me. I haven't seen Kohaku for a while. "Well, this should be interesting. You'll get to see Kohaku again, though he is a bit older." Now she rolled her eyes "Baka! I know that! But it will be nice to see him again." The others just looked confused. I explained. "The village we're going to, it's the village of the demon slayers." Shippo and Inuyasha looked a bit uneasy at that declaration and I waved their concerns off. "Relax, I know the head of the village. We go WAAAYYY back. We're welcome." They nodded hesitantly. Oh well, they'll see themselves.

As we approached the familiar entrance I could feel the nervousness of Inuyasha and Shippo. I put my hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Bro, relax. Nothing is going to happen! I guarantee it! I've been here a few times, they all know me. Nothing bad will happen." He just nodded a bit and tried to play off his nervousness. "Well, just every village I've been to chased me out or tried to. I don't want to have to fight a bunch of weak human demon slayers!" I roll my eyes. "Just relax, nothing can go wrong!" Kikyo was looking at me strange. I look back at her. "What?" She just shook her head and smiled. "Memories, that's all." I nod as we made our way to the entrance. The guards looked at Kikyo, then Kagome. They then looked at Miroku. When they got to Inuyasha and myself they tensed. I looked at them curiously. "DEMONS ARE ATTACKING!" Kikyo snapped her fingers "Now I remember!" I just sweatdropped as I saw the entire village amass with some very deadly looking weapons. I slowly back away and look behind us to see some demon slayers making their way behind us. Crap. Well, this IS familiar….

I shout out "Where is Kohaku? He can vouch for us!" They just looked at us in blatant mistrust. One of them answered "Elder Kohaku passed on. His son Shinji leads us now! And he said the only good demons are dead demons!" I swallow. Damn it. I place my hand on the hilt of my sword. Looks like a fight.

"HOLD!" a feminine voice screamed. I look to see the people parting to reveal…"Sango!" I smile warmly at her. I used to play with her when she was a child. She gave me a glance before rushing Inuyasha and giving him a bone crushing hug. My ears drop a little. "Tomasaru!" She exclaimed while she wrapped herself up in Inuyasha. My poor brother looks like he's in shock. "Bu bu bu bu bu bubu WAIT!" He pushes her away and she gets a hurt look in her eye. "Uncle Tomas?" He just shakes his head. "My name is Inuyasha. THAT'S.." he points to me "…is Tomasaru." I just wave weakly at her and grin. "Hi Sango, long time no see." She looks at me in confusion. "Well, I've been through a lot…." She keeps looking at me. "Uncle, is that really you?" I just snort. "I grow a few inches, get a few lines on my face and my voice gets a bit deeper and you don't recognize you favorite Hanyou?" She looks skeptically at me. "Say the name." My ears drop. "Come on Sango, you know how much I hate…" She had her face set. I mumble "Mog-san" while looking at the ground and blushing a bit. Damn, I HATED that name! Her face brightens. "Oh Kamis I can't believe its you! You look so…." I smirked at her "Not hanyou like?" She smiled "I was about to say mature but that too." I shake my head. "Sango, I believe you already met my brother, this is Shippo, Miroku, Kagome, and…Kikyo" I gestured to each in turn. Sango looked confused. "Miroku and Kikyo, weren't they Grandpa's companions fifty years ago. "Well, this Miroku is the descendent we traveled with. This Kikyo is the same one. She got resurrected…and a whole bunch of stuff happened. Long story." She shook her head and was about to reply when a rock flew by her to Inuyasha. He merely caught the rock and crushed it.

"Get out of here monsters. We'll slay you soon enough!" I looked at Sango and she looked a bit angry herself. "I'm sorry Uncle. After grandfather died….well you know how much father hates demons" I nodded. Shinji had a sister who was slain by demons. I was unable to reach the village in time to resurrect her with my sword. He's had a hating going on for all demons since. If it wasn't for Kohaku I'm sure I'd have had to take out more than a few demon slayers thinking if its got demon blood in it, kill it. Real ethnic cleansing stuff. I shook my head. "We came here hoping to claim the jewel shard you have. We're collecting them to reunite the entire jewel again and hopefully get rid of it!" Sango looked down sadly. "Father has it. He will not give it up. In fact he is searching for more pieces of the jewel." I sigh. Why can't things be easy?

Inuyasha just stepped forward. "Well, who cares lets get the jewel shards and leave!" I rub the bridge of my nose. God, would I love to be that ignorant…"We can't Yasha. First, it belongs to the village. In fact the jewel CAME from this village. They have the most right to it. Secondly. I have a treaty with them." The group looked at me funny. "Well, I made Outkast, I had to make a few treaties with neighboring powers to make sure no one decided we were better off as dust in the wind…..oh damn. Sango!" Sango looked at me startled. "The treaty! Does your father plan to abide by it?" She looked guilty. "I…..don't believe so. In fact he has been training the village more so than usual. I….I don't WANT to believe it, but he…might be…" I snarl "Planning to attack? I figured…Damn it! We don't have the time to be fighting among ourselves like this! Where is your father now?" Sango replied "He and my brother and a few other demon slayers were summoned to a castle to eradicate some demons. I think it was spider demons." My eyes widen. SHIT! I turn to Kikyo and nod. "Sango, prepare for an attack! Get every able bodied person prepared. I have a feeling Naraku will be attacking soon." She looked confused. "I thought you slayed him?" I shook my head. "He seems to have come back. We need to get…" I was rudely cut off by an energy blast. I look and see….damn….I see hundreds of demons. Apparently Naraku is not waiting for nightfall like in the series.

I put my and on my sword. Damn it, Yasha STILL doesn't know how to use the Wind Scar. I yell "Miroku, suck all the demons you can….except for any bees. You see the bees DON'T use your wind tunnel on them! Kagome, Kikyo, stay close to the women and children. Yasha, with me!" I unsheathe my sword. I don't want to transform it just yet. My old sword was pretty powerful on its own. "Yasha, pay close attention, especially with your nose. This is something you can easily do with the Tetsusaiga." I don't have time to worry about what they'll think of my future knowledge or what not. People are going to die unless we kill A LOT of demons. "Watch brother. Wind SCAR!" I swing my untransformed blade and see with pleasure it cuts a deep swath into the demons' main line. He looked on in shock. "Ho…" I cut him off. "Don't think! Don't think about all the hows just remember what I did, trust the Tetsusaiga! Feel it's energy, see the energy of your opponents, where the two meet, CUT!" I unleash another Wind Scar and I see two pink arrows cut through more of the demons' ranks. I can see him struggling with my words as he uses the sword to cut through a few of the demons. I hope he figures things out soon.

I unleash a Kuu Ha Zan toward the demons who broke through the line. If I used any of my more powerful techniques facing the village I'll take the people out as well as the demons. I see my brother isn't thinking about that too much. Ah SHIT! I run and concentrate, this is going to be tricky….

He figured out the wind scar all right. Unfortunately he's releasing it in the direction of a house in the village. A house my nose is telling me is occupied. As his Wind Scar blasts through the demons on its way to the house I pour on the speed to get in front of it. Doing so I focus the energy in my blade and jump into the blast. Taking the energy and using it as my own I unleash a Backlash wave into a group of demons entering the village. After seeing them decimated I turn to glare at Yasha who was busy Wind Scaring another group of demons. Thankfully he's keeping the blasts AWAY from the village. The first time is always the hardest I guess. I can see quite a few of the demon slayers are wounded but I can't tell if they died or not. Crap, what ELSE could go wrong?

My nose twitches and I sigh. Why do I always do this to myself? I smell Naraku! I slice through some of the demons and search for the source of his stench. I see someone in a kimono further away. I call out to Inuyasha "Bro, I smell something nasty, hold things here while I check it out!" Without waiting for his reply I cut my way through to the figure. Once I get close enough to get a good look I see that it is not Naraku at all. It seems to be a woman. A woman with red eyes holding a fan. Great, Kagura! That means Naraku is strong enough to be making incarnations of himself. That means he has most of the other pieces of the jewel himself. This village's shards must be close to the last for him. Damn! I smile at the demure looking woman in front of me. She may look harmless but I know for a fact she is as deadly as they come!

"Ok lady, mind telling me why you go through all the trouble to get these demons killed?" She smirks at me. "These beasts? Please. My master merely wishes to confirm something for himself." I tighten the hold I have on my sword. "Well, what have you found?" She snaps her fan open and holds it to her face. "We found what we needed. And right in front of your nose as well dog boy!" I growl. I have had about enough of her. I can see she's playing with the wind, intermingling our demonic auras to nullify the Wind Scar. Well, fortunately there's more than one way to break some demon ass! Before I can strike she starts laughing. "Thank you, we have all that we needed, you can play with a few of my toys to amuse yourself as I take my prize back to Naraku." What the hell is she going on about?

I see a small rock being thrown toward Kagura. She merely snatches it out of the air and displays it proudly. A large piece of the sacred jewel. I snap my head to see the source of the throw and see Shinji and two other demon slayers standing with their weapons ready against me. I turn an angry glare toward Kagura. "Who said the dead can tell no lies? Please, enjoy your battle against those dead demon slayers. I'm sure their village will look kindly on the demon who slaughters them!" I am then attacked by the dead village head with sword in hand. His two companions try to strike Inuyasha. This is bad. I dodge and think about what to do. The people in the village don't know that this is an animated corpse. If I 'kill' him, or if Yasha 'kills' his opponents, there will be war. My eyes widen as I sense Inuyasha preparing for a Wind Scar. I quicky unleash a blast of wind that knocks the animated corpse down and race for Inuyasha. We can't fight them until the village knows the truth!

"BROTHER, STTTTOOOOP!" I screamed. He looked up at me confused. That was all the opening his dead opponents needed as one struck at him with a spear while the other used a chain to try to tie him up enough for the strike to hit. He managed to dodge the chain but caught a glancing blow by the spear. By now the demons have mostly been driven off and the remaining demon slayers looked like they were about to join their undead leader in fighting us. I use my energy whip to shove my brother's opponents away as I came to his side. He looked at me angrily. "Why'd you stop me? These guys are dead anyway!" I shook my head. "The villagers don't know that yet. If you destroyed them with your Wind Scar they'd have just seen you murder two of their comrades." I look to see the undead gathering for another attack.

"Kikyo! Those demon slayers are already dead. Tell the villagers so they don't hunt us down when we take care of them!" Well, in hindsight MAAAAYYBE I shouldn't have phrased it in QUITE that way. One of the wounded demon slayers shouted "They are trying to kill our leader, I TOLD you demons could not be trusted!" Shit! Looks like all the able bodied villagers are preparing to attack us! I look and see Miroku and the others getting ready to fight the villagers we've only moments ago been saving. Damn, only one way I can think of to convince them. I sheath my sword and flex my claws. Crap. I hate political scenes!

I flash both my claws down quickly releasing the energy in my claws toward two of my three foes. Each set of five energy bands envelope the two undead warriors in its tight embrace. I turn my attention to the headmaster and almost lose my head as his blade misses my neck by mere inches. I quickly charge up the energy in my claws and strike out at him. He rolls out of the way and lunges at me in a counterstrike. Damn. It still must have some of Shinji's skills. I charge up my energy whip and strike out at his blade. He counters it but that was fine. I made another whip in my left hand to catch him unawares. I quickly bound him in my demon energy. I look up just in time to miss getting torn in two by Sango's Hiraikotsu. I raise my hands. "Hold, check on your friends. They are long dead. That demon from earlier was using them as puppets!" Sango looked at me in anger. Well, it WAS her father after all. "Dammit Sango, trust me! I made sure to do as little damage as possible so you'd be able to verify this." She looked hesitant but nodded.

She turned to a male demon slayer behind her. "Check my father." The man glared at me and nodded. Before he got halfway to Shinji's corpse it disintegrated. When he looked up in astonishment the other two corpses disintegrated as well. I heard a voice in the back scream "He killed them, it was all a trick!" I clenched my fists and growled. Damn it, I really REALLY hate Naraku! "God damn it! You all know me! Even IF I somehow went bad, I DON'T have the power to disintegrate people!" I look into Sango's angry eyes. She's the one I need to convince. She's the successor to the leadership in the village.

Kikyo spoke up. "If you do not believe Tomasaru, would you perhaps believe the word of two priestesses as well as a holy monk? We have exhausted ourselves fighting on the behalf of your village. If our goal was truly as insidious as your people believe we could have easily joined in the slaughter here today." Miroku stepped forward away from where he was standing from Kagome. From the look on her face I would think the action was to save himself from Kagome as much as from the wrath of the demon slayers. "Indeed. These tragic occurrence was made from becoming far worse from our combined efforts. Had we been evil or selfish we would have taken what we wanted and left in the battle."

Inuyasha just crossed his arms and snorted. "I don't know why you are bothering explaining this to those idiots. They won't change their minds. Humans are nothing but stupid sheep!" Kagome just glared at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha! Show a little compassion! These poor people have just been savagely attacked." He got right into her face "Yeah, and we saved their asses! What are we getting? Discussions on how we were in league with their attackers! God, you are dumber than any of the humans I have ever known." He just turns his nose up and re-crosses his arms. Kagome's face is turning an interesting shade of purple. Oh damn.

"**SIT!**" I wince. That was a deep crater…..Damn! She must be really angry. She went into the crater and kicked him before stepping back out and said "Sit, sit, SIT!" I look around and the villagers are just looking at us in various forms of disbelief. Heh, how sad is it that I think this is NORMAL…..

Sango just looked at us with an unreadable expression after witnessing Inuyasha and Kagome's little spat. I brushed my kimono off. Damn, rips. Stupid demons. Sango sighed. "I believe you. You've had plenty of opportunity to kill us all many times. My grandfather trusted you many times with important tasks for the village. I believe you." The villagers didn't seem to like that announcement and looked like they were ready to attack us regardless. "This monster killed the chief! That was your father Sango, do you not want justice?" Sango turned angrily toward the villager. "Yes! That was MY father that died! I want the demon who murdered him to PAY. But, that is not this one. You all know him. I know my father hated all demons but all of you have been helped by him at one time or another. He cannot be the one who would so callously murder someone." Well, they are getting calmer. Damn I'm glad I gave her piggyback rides when she was a kid….

The next day found us at the entrance of the Demon Slayer village. So far we know Naraku has more of the jewel. We have to find that bastard and put him in the ground before more people suffer. I notice everyone is ready and I also notice Sango with pack in hand coming toward us. Ah damn. "Sango, you going somewhere?" She looked at me with a steely gaze. "I need to find the demon responsible for murdering my father and brother as well as attacking our village and stealing the jewel shards in our possession." I sighed. "Sango, your village needs you here. They are rebuilding and you are the closest thing to a leader they have." She smiled at me like she did as a child when she knew she had me. "Do not worry, my father's friend Jinnai is going to watch after the village. You know he was my father's trusted advisor. AND he doesn't hate all demons so you have no worries of attacks." She gives me a winning smile as the rest of the group laughs at me. I get no respect….

Miroku was the first to respond. "I believe the young lady coming with us is a splendid idea! Having the skills of a demon slayer will come in quite handy." He looked at her figure with hungry eyes. Oh boy, this is going to be a headache. Kagome more innocent in her enthusiasm. "Great, it'll be nice to have another person around. Especially when we have to deal with SOME people." My brother just glared at her. His face is a bit bruised from the rocks slamming into his face. Or rather the other way around…

"Kirara, come!" I watch with a sinking feeling at the small, two tailed, cat walks happily toward her. Ah crap, the gang's all here! As we traveled out of the village and started on yet another road I couldn't help but brood. The Kami's words coming back to me with the force of a wrecking ball. Fate. Destiny. Was it fate that brought everyone together like in the anime? Was me being here totally useless? Naraku is still around, making incarnations. He's still attacking and killing people. Shippo, Miroku, Sango. All of their sufferings are almost exactly like in the anime. Sango still lost her family, Miroku still has the void in his hand, Shippo still lost his family. Am I really making ANY kind of difference here? I Fell a nudge in my ribs knocking me out of my depressing thoughts. Kikyo is walking beside me looking a bit worried.

"Are you all right?" she asks. Well, that's the million dollar question. I frown. "Not really. Just feeling a bit frustrated. It's like nothing I do can change anything."

"**PERVERT!**" and then a loud smack can be heard. I turn startled to see Miroku on the ground with a almost purple bruise lining his jaw and Sango red with rage or embarrassment. Kirara is also hissing at the monk. I guess he didn't make too many friends doing that. I sigh as Sango storms past me muttering about lechers and perverts. I shake my head and leave Kikyo's side to check on the monk. He's all smiles through the bruise on his face. "Was that really necessary?" I ask. He nods happily. "By Buddha, I have felt perfection!" I shake my head. I really wish aspirin pills were invented.

We set up camp. I see Kagome and Sango really hitting it off. They seemed to have switched off. Kagome was playing with Kirara while Shippo was enjoying Sango's attentions. Damn that kid is going to have some wet dreams when puberty hits. Sango still sends occasional glares to Miroku and he seems to be oblivious to it all. Yasha seems to enjoy being up a tree leaving me to look into the fire. My thoughts from earlier still haunt me. Can one truly fight destiny? Is it useless to defy fate? I thought so earlier but now, after the attack and Sango traveling with us I am not sure. Her family was destined to be torn apart by Naraku and it was. Can we really stop someone when the universe tells us we can't? I feel a pressure on my right shoulder and see that Kikyo decided to use me as a headrest. I put my arm around her. Well, at least one thing seems to have gone right. I still feel a cold knot of fear though. Kikyo was destined to die by Naraku's hand. It happened fifty years ago. I couldn't stop it. Will it happen again? I close my eyes. I just don't know….

I wake up feeling strange. There is no smells other than sulfur. We were in a forest no where near anything that could make that smell. I listen to my senses. The ground I am laying on doesn't feel like dirt. More like a hard floor. I open my eyes to see…..cleavage!

I back away instinctively and look up to see a wickedly smiling face. She is in black leather and some strange markings are on her face. She's blonde with reddish eyes. I feel myself be a bit amazed since I can feel dark power effortlessly rolling off her. She also reeks of the sulfur I've been smelling. I get up and back away slowly from her. I look around and all I can see is vast white emptiness. Where the hell am I?

I hear a laugh. "Hell is about right." I narrow my eyes. Something is nagging me about her facial markings. She smirks and crosses her arms across her ample chest. "I am Mara, a Demoness, first class, unrestricted license." Oh crap. "What do you want with me?" She smiles and slowly walks around me.

"Well, your wish by the Goddess Relief office has caused quite the little bit of chaos. Something that is keeping you in one piece now. Since the Creator said their had to be balance **I** get to have a bit of fun!" I just gulp. What does she want? She smiles at me again. "What I want? Hmm, well more like what _YOU_ want. You see, it's like this. You got your little wish and was whisked off to this adventure you are having. However, that is a real place you were sent to. True it was another dimension but it was real. And _you_ disrupted the balance there. Every mortal creature has a destiny, a fate the Creator herself made. You however, in your mortal arrogance, thought _you_ can make a destiny better than the Creator! Please! The only reason you aren't free floating molecules is that the Creator is now bound by her own rules. This is what you wished for and if she takes that away, well in simple mortal terms we have a system crash and lose a few dimensions!"

I pale a bit. This can not be happening. My one wish to make things better is screwing with several universes? Well, I guess I took to heart what Al Pacino said in Any Given Sunday. If you're gonna screw up, do it big….

"So…" I lick my dry lips. "So, why am I here?" She just swayed toward me and wrapped her arms around my neck. "You're here to….make a choice." She whispered a scant distance from my lips. I gently but firmly pushed her away. I was not going to get turned into a pincushion by Kikyo for a few minutes of bliss!

She smiled sexily at me. "Oh, it'll be way more than a few minutes. I've had millennia to….practice my techniques." I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly. "What's the choice?"

She sighed and walked away from me. "Keep your wish and everything stays how it is, or cancel it and get another." I've thought about that very thing more than a few times. The fifty years Kikyo was dead and I traveled Japan I've thought of just that. Giving up, going home, forgetting this ever happened. Go back to my boring life and my boring job. Then I'd think of all the people I saved, everyone I helped. If I didn't come here then they'd be dead. Or much worse off. Then there's Kikyo. She has her life back. I helped to truly resurrect her. She's flesh and blood again. She has her life back. If I just cancelled the wish she'd lose that.

I heard Mara chuckle. "Oh, how I love it when someone wraps their selfish desires in the guise of charity! You just don't want to go. You are willing to damn countless dimensions for your own selfishness!" She then walks up and delivers a kiss that left me weak in the knees. When she pulled away I saw desire there. "Oh, I love hypocrites like you!" I got a bit angry at that and jumped away from here.

"I'm NOT a hypocrite! I did a lot of good for the people in Japan and my friends. I'd be selfish to take all that away from them!" She just shook her head. "Stupid mortal. You helped, what, few hundred people, let's be generous, let's say thousands of people. Now, if the dimensions collapse because of you, that'd be what, trillions upon trillions, upon trillions of lives extinguished because you couldn't leave?" Damn, if she's telling the truth then there is A LOT of people that are going to die if I don't cancel my wish. But….

"Why do you care? You're a Demoness, why would you care about the lives lost of mortals?" She rolled her eyes at me. "It's my job to bring misery to mortals, to turn their greatest desires into their greatest fears, bring them to the height of power just to cut them loose and watch them plummet to their demise. I can't exactly do my job if the people aren't ALIVE!"

Damn, ok, that sort of makes sense. Now I just have to figure out if she's telling the truth or not. "Can I talk to the Creator and have him confirm this?" She shook her head a little too quickly. "Firstly, no one sees the Creator, and secondly it's HER!" I blink. "The Creator is a woman?" Mara just smiled in satisfaction. "Of course she is! Do you think a man could have created the multiverse without getting lost in it halfway through then demolishing the rest of the universes?" I blinked again. "Ooooooooooook. So basically all I have is your word?" She looked at me with eye's brimming with tears. "You…" sniff sniff "….don't trust me?" I glared at her. "You're a Demoness, of **COURSE** I don't trust you!" Her waterworks stopped and she looked at me coldly. "You meany!" and struck me with the biggest lightning bolt I have ever seen. It knocked me off my feet and sent me far back. I'm not sure how far back because everything looked the same. I hear heels clicking and I look up to see her looking at me smugly. "Are you ready to cancel your wish now?" I smiled at her and flipped her the finger. If anything her smile got wider and I saw her arm charge with some nasty red energy. "Goody, I get to play!"

She blasted me from one end of the endless room to the other. At least I think she did. I lost track of where my body was flying after the second blast of energy. It burned! Not just my skin, but I felt it sizzle my insides, my soul. Stupid demon bitch. "AHHHH!" I got hit with a bigger bolt of energy and saw through pain filled tears her waving a finger at me. "Naughty language!" Oh why me?

"You made a wish, now you must take the consequences. Unless, of course, you changed your mind?" I had no idea where she was so I just raised my middle finger to the sky. "I can keep this up for eternity, can you?" Grrrr, stupid smug….

"Send…" I can tell I peaked her interest since I have only been screaming for the past….I don't know, hours, days? "Yesssssss…" I complete my sentence from my smoking heap on the ground. "Send me back to the others. I'm not changing my mind!" I hear a tapping. Must be her foot. Damn dog hearing sucks sometimes. Sounds like a jackhammer. I hear her snap her fingers. "I know what I'll do! You are so desperate to go back to your companions I'll do just that. You'll be reunited, isn't that great?" I have a weird feeling in my gut. She tortured me and now she's sounding like a reject from the Brady Bunch. The last thing I hear is "Have fun!" before my world explodes in pain.

I woke up with a groan. Man, everything hurts! Stupid demon ladies. I sniff and my nose tells me absolutely nothing. I open my eyes and confirm there is absolutely nothing around me. Crap. I look around. Seems like the same clearing I fell asleep with the others. But it's empty. No signs of a fire. No tracks nor signs where we slept. Either I've been gone for a long time or this isn't the clearing I was in before. Boy, things get better and better here! I get up and wince. Damn demon bitch using me as a power rod! Thankfully I heal fast but I don't want to stay still too long. I got to find everyone. I look around. Only problem is I don't know WHERE they are. There are plenty of directions they could have left in and I don't know where any of them are!

Well, I know they'll head over to Kaede's sometime for rest. Not to mention when Kagome and Inuyasha blow up at each other again. I shrug and turn and make my way to Kaede's place. Should be only a few days away. Man I wish they'd hurry up and invent cars and trains. All this walking around sucks.

A few days of walking later

Hmm, I'm a little ways away and things don't look too bad. Village looks like it always did. Smells the same. Wonder why I am feeling a bit uneasy. The villagers are looking at me weird. I'm usually used to the stares but all the traveling I've been doing changed that. Most villages DO stare but not Kaede's. With all the weirdness that's been happening lately they have been used to mine and Inuyasha's presence to the point we are treated like the background. They know we are there so no reason to look. They are staring at me now like I'm going to attack them. Sheesh, ungrateful much! I'm walking along the road when I see Kaede. I smile and wave. She lifts her bow and arrow notched in it. My ears drop. Damn, can't I catch a break?

"What did I do now Kaede-chan?" She narrows her eye at me and I see the bow pulled harder. "Who are ye, demon? Why have ye come to this village?" I looked at her like one would look at a senile old coot on the street. With my eyebrows lifted I responded "Uhm, Kaede, I know you're old and everything, but I can't BELIEVE you forgot me after only a few weeks of traveling. Hell, you've been trying to kill me for years!" I said the last part cheerfully. It was fun memories when Kaede would chase me around with her bow trying to shoot me. I'd lead her into pits filled with smelly water, get her tangled up in vines. Well, it was fun for me and good training for her! She looked at me confused but did not lower her weapon. "Why would I try to kill ye? I do not remember you, nor someone such as you attacking this village."

"I never attacked the village. You just never liked me ever since Kikyo died." I saw her looking a bit angry. "My sister died over fifty years ago through the trickery of Naraku. Why would you think ye are responsible? Are you Naraku?" I looked at her in shock. "No, I am not Naraku! Sheesh, I killed him fifty years ago, don't you remember? Me and the others? He had the Shikon No Tama and we recovered it and you burned it with your sister's body?" This is weirding me out. She is remembering all these things wrong!

She looked at me coldly. "I do not know thee demon! Begone from this village and never return, lest I kill ye." I shook my head. No way Kaede could kill me. I take a step forward. "Listen, I don't…" I was stopped short in the form of an arrow flying straight for me. I looked on in shock that she actually SHOT at me that I did not react as quickly as I should have. By the time I regained my senses it was well on its way to hitting me. Unable to dodge I grabbed it out of the air inches from my chest. The arrow glowed and I threw it on the ground and blew on my hand.

"OW wow ow owwwwww!" I screamed while shaking my reddening hand and hopping around from one foot to another. Crap, that HURT! She must have put a lot of power into that arrow. I stopped hopping around and looked at her in anger. That was a KILLING shot! I pointed my damaged hand at her. "You just tried to kill me, didn't you?" She shook herself out of her daze of seeing me hopping around and notched another arrow. Well, if she thinks I'm going to play catch again she is sorely mistaken! I rush her and easily shred the bow from her hands and push her lightly to the ground. I may be angry but I don't want to truly hurt her. I glared down at her and she just glared right back.

"What's the deal you old hag? I'm just talking to you and you try to kill me?" She looked unrepentant. "Ye were moving in for an attack!" I shook my fist at her. "If I truly attacked you, you'd be one dead old lady right now!" I got a faint hint of smell and heard the familiar whoosh of an arrow in flight. I jumped straight up and missed being impaled by an arrow shining with the power of a true miko. I turn in midair and see…

"Kagome?" I was stunned. Kagome just tried to kill me? Kagome. Innocent and a bit naïve Kagome? She was looking at me with a burning fire within her. Damn, she really looks like Kikyo with that flames for vengeance thing going on with her eyes. Wonder what I did to piss her off?

"I don't know how you know my name, but I won't let you kill Kaede!" She let loose another flaming pink arrow at me which I dodge easily enough. "Come on Kagome, it's me! And I didn't try to kill the old hag, it was the other way around!" She just looked more determined and shot at me again. Crap. I dodge again. "I don't want to stop you, but if you don't stop shooting and start listening I'm going to have to get rough on you." She just notched up another arrow. Why, oh why, do people want to do things the hard way? I rushed at her. When I got to about five feet from her a red blur hit me, sending me flying ninety degrees away.

I shake my head and roll to avoid a use blade from slicing me in half. I jump to my feet to see a familiar hanyou wearing a red fire rat robe. "Yasha? Why the hell are you.." He swung at me again and I jump over his head. When I land on my feet I have to move out of the way of an enchanted staff from separating my head from my shoulders. I look to see a man wearing black and purple robes getting ready to take another swing at me. "Have you all gone insane?" I scream as I move out of the way of another club like swing from Inuyasha. I hear a familiar whirling sound and my mouth sets in a grim line. I don't have time to play around with this. I form an energy whip and lash onto the flying Hiraikotsu and fling it at Yasha. I draw my sword and fly at Miroku.

Swinging as fast and as hard as I can I collide with his staff. As he pushes forward with all his might I lash out with a side kick that sends him flying into the trees. Spinning on heel I block a strike from Sango's blade and chop her in the neck sending her into blissful unconsciousness. I roll out of the way of an arrow strike and form my energy whip. I destroy the bow from Kagome's hands and cut her quiver of arrows off. I see Shippo standing in front of Kagome looking more than a little scared. He is still making very unintimidating growling sounds. I shake my head. Sheesh Shippo. At least try to look like you are confident in yourself. I hear a much more intimidating growl and my sword flashes to block a strike that would have cleaved me in two. I look into angry amber eyes and can't help but quip "Hey bro, mind telling me what crawled into your robes?"

He pushed harder against me and growled louder. "Nothing's in my robes…and I'm…" He pushed hard against me. I'm a bit surprised how strong he got and he pushes me back. I can feel our demonic auras swirling and my eyes narrow "….NOT YOUR BRO! Wind Scar!" I am still moving a bit backwards. I dig my feet into the ground and look as the deadly golden energy descends on me. No time to dodge. A Backlash Wave will kill him. I gather my energy quickly and release my own Wind Scar. The two massive energies collide, blowing me off my feet and rolling me yards and yards away. Damn, I'm not close to a hundred percent yet.

I turn to see Kagome with a weird looking bow in her hands that seems to be sweating. Ah, Shippo. I have to say their teamwork is a whole lot better than I thought. I can see Miroku struggling to his feet and making his way to the unmoving Sango. Damn, he's looking pissed. So does Kagome, and Inuyasha, and Kaede who is glaring at me from the village. Oh, seems we destroyed some of the village. CRAP! I sluggishly move out of the way as Kagome's arrow blows up the spot I occupied moments ago. Damn, they are SERIOUS!

Inuyasha looks like he's about to charge me again. Crap. "Wait, can't we talk about this? I mean why the hell is everyone attacking me? We've been through a lot together haven't we?" They all looked at me like I was a 'special' child. Kagome pulled back on her makeshift bow and I can hear Shippo's cry of pain "We don't know you! You were trying to kill Kaede!" I sigh in annoyance. Man they are like a broken record!

"Hey, if I wanted to kill her or you guys, you'd be dead already! Notice I didn't use the Wind Scar and I didn't really use any kind of killing blows on you." Miroku looked at me with eyes blazing in hate. Damn, this isn't the carefree monk I've known. "You hurt Sango…" he growled out. I look at him as serious as I could. "You all attacked me. I just knocked her out. And she IS a warrior. A little knock won't keep her down for long.". Shit, this makes no sense. Everything is so different and yet not. They don't know me but…I look at them, really LOOK. They sound the same, smell the same, but they are slightly different. Miroku holds himself far differently than before. With a lot more seriousness and more than a touch of darkness within him. My brother. Damn, he's WAY different. For one thing he is A LOT stronger than the last time we fought. His style is also different. From our spars his style was more fluid. He used the Tetsusaiga as a true sword, an extension of himself. In this battle he used it with all the finesse of a club. He also called on the Wind Scar far easier than before.

I was a bit disappointed at Sango truth be told. She's way better at using the sword than THAT. I taught her most of what I knew and yet it looked like she was using a completely different sword style. Damn, what was wrong with everyone? "Guys, it's me, Tomasaru, you know, Inuyasha's twin brother, Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu master? Recovered the Shikon No Tama the last time Naraku stole it? Any of this ringing any bells?" They all looked at me like I was insane. Inuyasha just looked more pissed than he was earlier. "I don't know who you are, but I don't have a twin, and even if I did you look nothing like me!"

I shook my head and looked at them with pleading eyes. "You must remember, I'm like this because I managed to balance myself with my demon nature. Remember, you broke my sword and my demon side tried to overwhelm me? Come on! You guys HAVE to remember!" I was getting a bit desperate. My whole world seemed to be caving in as I saw their distrust plainly on their faces. My own brother looked at me like I was a stranger. I don't see a shred of recognition from anyone there. Kaede's face was set in a grimly. I was on the verge of crying. All my friends don't even know me anymore! I smelt the change in the air and couldn't help looking at my brother in betrayal as he unleashed another Wind Scar attack on me. I dodged to the left and kept running.

I can feel tears threatening to leak out. What's going on? Why did they attack me? Why didn't they recognize me? I kept running full speed. If they were trying to pursue me they wouldn't get very far. I'm damn fast and I can go for a long time without resting. As I run I catch a faint smell that causes me to almost collapse. That smell…..it can't be! I redouble my efforts and race to the source. I smell that I am close to a village when I see the source and my heart breaks. It's Kikyo. She reeks of death. Her aura is almost pitch black. What happened to her? She turns towards me and I can see nothing but apathy in her eyes. I can sense right below it is burning hatred. She points her bow at me and all I can do is look at her in shock.

"Kik…Kikyo. How…what HAPPENED to you?" She does not lower her bow but merely raises her eyebrow in silent question. I can see no recognition in her eyes. From her scent, I have to say she's not human anymore. She smells….she smells just like when she was resurrected by that witch. But HOW? I helped her become human, I took her….

I gulped as horrid realization hit me. This isn't my Kikyo. Those weren't my friends I left back there that were trying to kill me. These are strangers. Kikyo seems to be prepared to fire so I blur out of the way and run as fast as I can away from her. I jump from tree to tree in a daze. I find a sturdy branch and collapse into it. I can only think of one thing that could account for this. Actually two. The most unlikely is that somehow Kikyo was changed back to her original form before I found her and everyone's memories of me was blanked somehow. That's unlikely since the body language is so different. You can change memories but you can't really change how a person walks or handle's themselves. Inuyasha was MUCH stronger than he was earlier. His skill level was also lacking from before. The same for Sango. I can't tell but Miroku seemed to be a bit better but I didn't have time to properly gauge him.

That left another, worse answer. This isn't my dimension. That damn Demoness must have put me in another Inuyasha universe. Was this the cannon one? Was this the one I was trying so hard to make better? If so I may have screwed up more than I thought. Some things are better but some are worse. Inuyasha is way stronger than my brother but he seems way angrier. Miroku too is stronger as well as more serious but that could be from his death as well as the deaths of his family hanging over his head since childhood. He had to grow up fast and strong or he was dead. Sango seemed weaker than the one I knew. I guess training with me helped more than I thought.

Damn, some things better, some things worse. Well that's life in a nutshell. I need to get back! Who knows what Naraku is up to while I'm stuck here! Hmm, a Goddess got me there and a Demoness took me away. The only thing I can think of is to find another Goddess to send me back since I doubt the Demoness would. Does this dimension even have a Goddess Relief Hotline? If they did I'm still screwed, no phones. Hmm, there are phones in Kagome's time…

My ears perk up. I got it! Heh, well looks like that girly anime is going to save my ass! That's IF Keiichi Morisato exists and got a wish from Belldandy. That's also if they EXIST in this dimension. I THINK that was around Kagome's time. But, I need a jewel shard first to be able to get down the well. I have a few choices. Find one on my own, or get someone else's. There's Naraku, Kagome, and Kouga I can steal from. Since I don't know WHERE the other two are, that leave's Kagome. No, my life is not complicated in the least……

Hi, end of the chapter here. Damn, I have no idea where my ideas are coming from. Well, probably where the sun don't shine! A hum, well anyway, sorry for the delay. Well, that is the three of four people that actually read this. I've been reading another Inuyasha crossover that's pretty good. Written by Shadow Master, called 'An Heir with Character' It's a Buffy the Vampire slayer cross with Xander. Well I think it's good. Anyway, same thing I always say, please let me know what you think of the fic. I JUST found out I misspelled Tetsusaiga! Crap, I fixed it in this chapter and probably in chapters to come but I really hate making such glaring mistakes. Please readers, help me out here! puppy dog eyes


	6. Chapter 6

Welcome all to the next chapter. I'm thinking of changing the title cause I don't think many people are clicking on the story cause it has the magical letters 'SI' in them. All two or three reviews were positive so I guess if people can find it within themselves to click on the story they might enjoy it. I hope. Anyway, if anyone thinks I claim Inuyasha or any other show and anime I hint at while I write YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

I stalk around the forest around Kaede's village. It's been a few hours since the little altercation between myself and Inuyasha's gang. So far they don't seem to trust me in the slightest, not that I blame them. I'm a stranger and I guess I have a knack for getting caught at the worst possible time in the worst possible circumstances. I need to get a jewel shard to get to modern Tokyo and hopefully find a Goddess to get me out of this nasty little mess. Hmm, it really doesn't feel right just stealing the damn thing. I open my senses. Seems like Kagome has them in a little jar around her neck. I need to see her alone.

Seems something finally is going right for me. Inuyasha said something only he could say and Kagome sat him as only she could. She is walking toward the well in a huff. Hmmm, I have an idea. If she is going to the present Tokyo then maybe I can hitch a ride. I silently creep up on her and gently tap her sleep spot on the back of her neck. I love pressure points. I grab her before she hits the ground and quickly run to the well. I am within sighting distance when I feel another energy closing fast. Damn, Inuyasha! No time for the quick and silent approach. I pour on the speed and dive headfirst into the well. Damn, how does Kagome do it? Going through the well with all these lights and vertigo feeling, damn I feel like I'm going to lose my lunch! We then arrive to the present in a way that's unforgettable. I land headfirst and her sleeping body falls on me in a most suggestive fashion.

I push her skirt out of my face as her head and hair are covering my lower body. I see a little boy blushing and muttering "Sis.." before he dashes off. I sigh, consequently moving the skirt back into my face. I gently disengage myself from her and stand. Why does this always happen to me? I can hear and feel people approach. I jump out of the well and dash away. Hopefully they'll think the boy was seeing things. If not, I look a lot like Yasha, especially in the dark when people can't see my demon lines. Heh, I'm screwing my brother up and it isn't even the right one.

I jump from roof top to roof top and I discover a massive flaw in my perfect plan. I can't read a lick of Japanese! Sure, I can understand it spoken but that's because I lived there for a few decades. I never actually thought of learning how to write since I was too busy trying not to die in a memorable, painful fashion. Damn. Hmm, I need to find a computer. I was pretty good with them before being sent to the Warring States period and I don't think I forgot much of it. I can run a search for Keiichi Morisato since I remember in the anime he won several races. That would have to be in some newspaper article. Where he goes to school would also go hand in hand with that. I look down at myself. Hmm, getting in could be a problem….

I walk into a library a nice man directed me to on the street. Once I told him I was in a play and it took too long to get in and out of costume the man was very helpful and even stopped screaming! Even now I am getting stared at but it's nothing worse than what happened in a few villages I was in. As long as they kept the pitchforks and torches to themselves I'd be happy. I sat down and looked at the computer in mute horror. The keyboard was in Japanese! Crap, I should have thought of that! Damn, now I am stuck in this stupid place and I have absolutely NO clue on how to type on this thing. I use the mouse and see if I can at least change the language options. Aha! I have got English! Hmm, now lemme see.

I start typing using each key and see what shows up on the screen. I get up to get some tape and a few pieces of paper. I sit back down. Whatever key I press I write down the corresponding English letter, lightly tear it off the paper and tape it to that key. Damn, that blue haired girl is looking at me weird. Sheesh, give a hanyou a break lady! Alright, I have pretty much got all the letters down. Now all I need to do is remember what search engines there are. Damn, seventy or eighty years of disuse can really screw up a guy's computer skills! My ears catch a clicking sound. I can't really turn them since I am wearing a baseball cap. I think if my ears were moving no one would buy my costume excuse. People weren't THAT dumb. I look to see the same girl who was staring at me was pointing a blue…calculator, PDA? Whatever it was she seemed to pale when I caught her. I just smiled and waved to show there was no hard feelings. Whatever the hell she was doing.

I look back to my screen. I try typing search into the web browser. Damn, page not found. How can I remember how to change the damn language setting but not know how to do a search? Admittedly it took a good forty five minutes to figure out how to change the language. I had to choose by what I thought those little icon things looked like. Damn it, my legs are cramping up! Maybe I should bite the bullet and ask Kagome for help? Yeah right, she's probably back in the past and I don't thing her family would really trust me. Unless I lied. I could say I'm Inuyasha's brother, not exactly a lie, and ask for help. As I rubbed my chin I see the blue haired girl that was staring at me has come up to me.

"Hello, I'm sorry for earlier, but you are dressed so…" I smile at her. "Weird, disturbing?" She responded to my smile with one of her own. "I would have used unique." I gave her a smirk. "Ah, the P.C. term to use!" She blushed a bit. It was nice to swap modern quips. People in the dark ages just didn't get some of the in jokes.

She looked at the screen as well as what I have done to the keyboard and I blushed a bit in embarrassment. It's hard admitting deficiency at something. Especially when I used to be so good at it. "I kind of wanted to do a search for someone I know, but I can't really read Japanese" She looked at me startled. "You are American? You don't look it and you speak so well!"

I put my hand to the back of my head and laughed nervously. "Well, as for the looks you can blame it mostly on the costume. And as to why I speak it so well….I had a good teacher." My thoughts drifted to Inuyasha and my mother. She seemed to delight that I was so into learning Japanese and how to do it properly. She never knew I was more than what I appeared. I don't think she'd have cared but I'll never know. The girl seemed to sense my mood darkening so I flashed her a smile. "Sorry, just thinking of my….teacher. She died when I was very young." She seemed to sympathize and nod.

"Anyway, my name is Tomasaru, pleased to meet you!" She smiled at me. "My name is Ami Mizuno, I am also pleased to meet you." She also bowed a bit. Hmm, name seems kind of familiar. Ah well, it'll come to me. She looked at me and asked "So what do you seem to be looking for Tomasaru-san?" I looked back to the screen. "First, please call me Tomasaru, I'm never really into the honorifics and stuff. And secondly I am searching for someone. Unfortunately I'm not sure where she is so I have to do sort of a third hand search."

She just looked at me in confusion. "Well, I know the sister of the girlfriend of the guy I know." She just blinked. "Ok, I'm looking for Keiichi Morisato. He has a girlfriend. His girlfriend's sister is the one I know. I just lost touch with her so I need to go about this the long way." She just nodded and pushed me out of the seat. She ripped off my makeshift keyboard labels and quickly changed the language setting back to Japanese. Crap. "You HAD to do that?" I whined. She shrugged her slim shoulders. "I work better in Japanese." I shake my head as her fingers fly over the keyboard. I used to be able to do that….

"Hmm, there are several. Do you have anything specific about him?" I thought hard. "I know he goes to college and he is part of a racing or motor club there." She didn't even turn her head as she nodded and she was typing furiously. I was blinking slowly. Damn, ok, I may not have been THAT good…

"Ah, found him!" I looked in shock. "Already?" She smiled up at me. There was something weird about that smile. Didn't really reach her eyes but I was too flabbergasted to really dig too deep into it. "Yes, I have his address, it's printing now." I looked at her stunned. "Waaaaaait a minute. Isn't that illegal or something? I thought you couldn't get private addresses like that?" She just smiled up at me. "He was listed. If he wasn't I'd have only been able to give you the college he goes to." Ok, I can admit it. She's MUCH better than I was. I was looking for his college then figured I'd sniff around for something not human. I just looked at her. I was way closer to getting home then I thought possible. I picked her up out of the chair and gave her a hug. "Thankyou thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" She just squeaked and I remembered myself. I put her down and stepped away.

She was blushing a bit and so was I. Damn, that was embarrassing! "Uhm, sorry, just….well it means a lot to me I can get to see Keiichi and his girlfriend again. I didn't think I'd get to see them so soon, sorry!" I bowed to the waist. Man when something goes right for me it still goes wrong. She just shook her head. "Quite all right. I did not think you would be so….happy about this." I rose and smiled. "Well, they can help me get home." She looked a bit confused but it was laced with suspicion. "Get home, how could they do that?" I gulped. Damn, my mouth is running ahead of me again. "Well, they are…..well traveled! They have been places most people haven't and where I come from is one of them."

She just looked at me curiously. "Where are you from then Tomasaru?" Well, someplace you wouldn't believe. Better stick to the truth more. I'm a bad liar. "I'm from someplace very far away. Not to be rude or anything but can I get that address please?" She just gave me the sheet of paper. It was printed in Japanese but she gave me the English translation. I bowed to her again. "Thank you Ami, you don't know how much this means to me!" I saw a flash of guilt and she smiled and shrugged. "Glad I could help, good luck!" I smile and wave, "Thanks, bye." As soon as I leave the library I jump up on a roof as I look at the address. I hop around until I find a gas station and quickly grab a map. Super speed is great when you want to steal stuff. I usually don't like stealing but it's a map. A cheap one by the looks of it. I don't think one map will break this guy's business.

I look at the map and look at the address and frown. It doesn't sound like where Keiichi should live. In the anime he lived in a temple, or if he didn't meet Belldandy yet in his college dorm. This address doesn't seem to fit the area. Well, I don't have much of a choice. I HAVE to go.

As I roof hop I notice the area getting worse and worse. This isn't a very nice neighborhood. There's no WAY Keiichi could live here. Maybe he's on drugs in this dimension. Maybe that girl didn't give me the right address? She seemed nice. She also seemed very smart so I don't THINK she'd make a mistake this big. I keep on roof hopping until I see I'm getting close to the address. Seems the place is a warehouse. Looks abandoned. I take a sniff. Doesn't smell like anyone is in there nor do I hear much. I hear some scraping of boots behind me. I turn quickly and I facefault into the ground. I look on mute disbelief. There are five girls wearing the skimpiest outfits I have ever seen! They look at me with anger and hate and I can just look at them in disbelief. "What the HELL are you girls WEARING? Jesus, put some clothes on, do you WANT to get raped or something!" All of their faces turn interesting shades of red. They all look like bedroom cheerleaders. Each one with a different color trim. There's blue, green, red, orange and one that is more red and blue. She also had the weirdest hairstyle I have ever seen. And when you live my life you see some STRANGE stuff.

The one with the strange hairstyle starts posing and moving her arms all over the place. "For trying to stalk and harm innocent college students, we will punish you nega creep!" I just blinked. "Are you coming on to me?" I mutter. Ok, so I had some naughty thoughts on how a cheerleader was going to 'punish' me. At least Kikyo wasn't here to hear me say that. That looked like it really pissed them off and the green one with the brown pony tail had a tiny rod come out of her tiara and I can smell ozone. Crap, I dodge out of the way of a thunder blast and I can sense a strong energy coming near me and I jump up to miss a flying fire bird. I see the one with the strange hairstyle pull a huge scepter out of her….no way. That COULDN'T have fit in there? Shit, these girls are FREAKS! She pointed it at me and a huge…..heart? A HEART! A giant HEART is being thrown at me! I blur out of the way and look at them stunned. They seem to look equally stunned that I dodged their shots.

I point my finger at them. "You girls are SICK! Wearing those clothes, and you! I point to their leader who jumped slightly. "How can you….pull something THAT big from THERE?" Her whole body seemed to turn red and I can feel their feminine anger coming off them in waves. I'm equally pissed. "Shit, what the hell is WRONG with you girls? All I was trying to do is look up a friend and you attack me out of no where! Not to mention attacking me with intent to kill." I turn to the leader again. "Hearts. HEARTS! You fired damn HEARTS at me? God, what a crummy way to die!" She just looked down and grinded her toe in the gravel on the roof. The one in the red seemed to be the only one holding on to whatever reason they had to attack me.

"You're a demon. We have to stop you before you hurt people!" I looked at her. I then blinked. I looked again. She had a miko's energy! "You're a miko?" She seemed to looked surprised but covered it well. Damn, she looks like…no…"Kikyo…" I whispered. She looked at me strangely I just angrily shook my head. Damn, stupid! Kagome was Kikyo's reincarnation. So this girl is a miko and sort of looks like her.

I notice the one in the blue didn't really attack. She was just looking through her blue visor. Hmm, smart. Observe your enemy before committing to an attack. I hope they are reasonable now. "Look, you want to protect people. Fine, I can understand that. I actually do the same. But you can't randomly attack people because you THINK they might be a threat." The weird hairstyle girl seemed to look ashamed. Good! The one in red has her arms crossed in defiance and the one in green seemed to take a more defensive stance. The blonde in orange seems to be neutral as well. The one in the blue is stoic. Great. I have absolutely no clue how to get through to them and looks like I won't be seeing Mr. Morisato for a while. The one in red just glared at me hatefully. "You're a demon, that's enough!" I clench my fists and growl in anger. "You damn Nazi bitch…." I hope there were Nazis in this time so she'd know the insult I just threw at her. From her outraged face I'd say I hit the jackpot.

"So I'm a demon so I have to die? No matter the type of person I am, no matter how I try to help others and not kill? I got demon blood in me so automatically I deserve to be executed? I'm sure you'd have loved Hitler!" She just shook with rage. "How DARE you compare me with.." I cut her off. "Compare you with WHAT? The greatest mass murderer of the century? Well gee, let me see. Just because I look different, have different blood running through me I am a danger to everyone and have to die? Sounds a lot like Nazi Germany's reasoning for rounding up and killing Jews. For the people's own good, ethnic cleansing. I have not made ONE aggressive move and yet because I'm a demon I deserve you rejects from a pedophile's wet dream to try and kill me?" Ok, insulting the magical girls is not a smart move, but I'll be damned if I'll be sniveling to these children who probably have never seen the true horrors that demons are capable of. Even true horrors humans are capable of. Damn, different time, same thing. Humanity is still a bigoted race….

Looks like they are about to start firing their attacks again. Well, not the blonde one with the weird hair. She looks sort of depressed. Hopefully she'll stay out of it. The blue haired one also doesn't look like she is about to get aggressive. The other three on the other hand looks like they are ready to rumble. I shift into a more defensive stance. If they attack again, I might have to take them down. I don't know if I want to kill them. If they are demon hunters their deaths could mean the deaths of a lot of innocents. Damn, I wish I could be self centered for once. "So, since I am using logic against you, you decide you want to fight. You act more like the demons you supposedly fight!" That got them to pause. Great. Maybe I should wipe them all out. If they attack demons like they have with me most wouldn't stand a chance. What if they attacked a demon like Shippo? Shippo wouldn't be able to defend himself and they'd have murdered him and pat themselves on the backs for a job well done! Gods, demon hunters like that made me sick.

I ready myself, looked like the Kikyo look a like is going to start with the fire again. I stand on the balls of my feet ready to move on a moment's notice when a soft voice whispers "stop." I, along with everyone else on the roof, look toward pig tails. Well, either that or meatball head. Damn if that wasn't the most hideous hair job I have ever seen! "He's right. We had no reason to attack him. We should have just observed to see if he was a threat." All right, you may look like a dumb blonde but you got something between those dumb looking pig tails, pony tails…whatever the hell you call that hair! "Thank you! Sheesh, I know I don't exactly blend in but please keep the ordinance to a minimum. If I wasn't as good as I am you'd have killed me and not thought twice about it!" They all looked a bit shame faced at that. Good. If it stops them from killing a peaceful demon that's for the best! "Now if you don't mind. I have to go back to the library and find my friend. I thought that girl in the library was nice, but I guess not if she just had you guys ambush me for no reason!" The one and blue looked down at that. Hmm, she seems familiar. I can't really catch her scent. The smell of strong magic is blocking out their scents. They all look strange now that I think about it. Like there is something overlapping their bodies and faces. Oh well, not like I care. I need to get out of this dimension as soon as I can.

The one in blue looked up at me. I can see determination in her eyes. Crap, she wants to fight? I get a little edgy but she just walks up to me. I little confused I just let her. When she gets to a few feet she hands me a piece of paper. I looked at her curiously. "Your friend lives there. The woman at the library….she had to make sure that you weren't out to harm those people." I nod. I don't care, gimme the paper! I calmly take the offered paper from her hands and bowed. "Thanks a lot, I really appreciate the help." I rise and look at the remaining girls. "I need to head out now and find my friend. Can I trust you girls have learned your lesson and won't attack people out of the blue?" I got a few non committal shrugs. Ugh! Damn school girls! Before I leap to the next rooftop I turn my head but keep my back to them. "Also put some clothes on! I doubt you want to face a boner horde or something!" I smile as I hear their squawks of outrage as I make my way far from them.

I'm looking at my nice stolen map again. Damn, stupid cheerleaders! They seemed familiar. Maybe I should have asked for their names. NAH! Last thing I want to do is get involved with underage girls prancing around in skimpy outfits. I don't know if they'd arrest hanyous for endangering the welfare of minors or something like that but I have no desire to find out. Not to mention what Kikyo would do. Shudder

Alright. I'm on my way and making good time. I am running on the roads since they don't seem to be near any buildings. Ah well, that's fine. I'm close to getting back. I can FEEL it! I stop by the front of the temple. Looks about right from what I can remember. Oh hell, I can't remember almost anything from the anime other than he lived in a temple. How many college going guys in motor clubs named Keiichi Morisato live in a temple anyway? I step in and feel the brush of magic on me. Hmm, must be wards. Probably detection. Guess I don't have to ring the doorbell. I see a child with black hair and Goddess markings looking at me with anger. I just wave. "Hi, I need to talk to Belldandy or Urd, they in?"

She looked at me petulantly. "Why should I tell you, demon!" I blinked. Sure, I'm Youkai, but not really a DEMON demon. I'm nothing like Mara, nor do I have anything close to her kind of powers. "Well, because I asked nicely and I could really use the help." She was just about to scream at me again when a platinum haired beauty stepped out. Long legs, check. Smooth tanned skin, check. Ample che….ok its her. I wave. "Long time no see Urd!"

She just looked at me. "Ok, who the hell are you?" I smile. "Remember me, you granted my wish, I wanted to be in the Inuyasha universe…." She still looked at me clueless. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do you KNOW how many wishes I grant a dimension? Much less SEVERAL! What makes you think I remember you?" My ears dropped a bit. "Way to make a guy feel special there! I don't really care if you remember me or not, but I had a wish and some demon kicked me out of the dimension I was in. I need help to get back." She shook her head. "Sorry, one wish per customer. Buh bye!" with that she pointed her finger at me and I was blasted out of the temple. That BITCH! I didn't like her when I got my wish, she's just reinforcing the dislike. Well, my only chance now is Belldandy. She is like, the ultimate nice person in the universe. I wait outside the front gate. I'm still slightly smoking but I'm going to wait until Keiichi comes back with Belldandy so I can get some help.

I hear a motorcycle. I try to get up to wave them down but they come flying right out of the corner of the road and right over me! I let out a little girly shriek as I was run over. Fortunately he stopped right afterwards to see what he ran over. I was just laying on the ground dazed when I heard "Oh my god!" and an "Oh dear!" I groan. Can someone PLEASE stop the violence! I see a a man with light brown hair looking at me in concern. Wow. He doesn't seem to care about the dog ears and claws. Really nice guy. I can see his companion. Wow. The anime version doesn't do the real one justice! She's hot! Ok, enough of getting sidetracked. Keiichi helps me to my feet.

I turn to him. "Thanks a lot. You should watch your speed. If I was human I'd be dead right now." He paled at the thought and nodded. I looked at Belldandy. I bow. "Sorry to trouble you, but I really have a problem and I need your help." She looked at me with kind eyes. "Of course, please come inside and tell me what you need." I nod. Wow, she is really nice! As we walk inside I can feel the brush of the wards and turn to face her. "Can you tell your sisters not to blast me? I came earlier and Urd was….less than sympathetic and not too helpful." She brought a dainty hand to her mouth "Oh my, she didn't do anything rash did she?" I didn't want to badmouth her sister so I responded "Well, she did electrocute me and flung me out to the street, but it wasn't too bad." Damn brain, I'm going to stab you with a Q Tip!

The inside of the temple was very nice. Well, it would have been if I didn't have two angry Goddess glaring death rays at me. Belldandy smiled like nothing was amiss and said "Well, please tell us what your problem is." I sigh and nod. "Alright, you see, I got granted a wish by Urd here." I nod toward the Goddess. "I wished to….well change things for the better. Be in a position to make someone's life easier. There was an anime in my dimension called Inuyasha so I decided that if I was going to wish for anything, it'd be to help someone. Since Urd here said wishing for something that doesn't specifically involve me was a no no, I decided I'd help someone myself. I chose that dimension. It wasn't the best life, nor the easiest. I did, however, thought I was making a positive impact. Then, one night when I went to sleep I woke up in a white room stinking of sulfur and a Demoness called Mara was trying to get me to renounce my wish. When that and blasting me failed she sent me to an alternate world. I want to go back to mine. Can you help?"

Belldandy looked pensive and so did the rest of the Goddesses. Belldandy stood. "I will go call Father and ask." I nodded gratefully to her. The other two Goddesses looked at me sadly. "Your stuck here kiddo." Urd said in a moment of total seriousness. I blinked at her. "What do you mean? I was supposed to be somewhere else. It was in my wish! I thought that Ultimate Force thing was supposed to protect a person's wish?" She sighed. Skuld answered for her. "You big dummy. You asked to be put someplace you can make a difference. That can be ANYWHERE! And if you being here is a result of a wish granted by a Demon we can't interfere with it."

I can feel myself getting angry. "You mean that Demons can screw with YOUR wishes and YOU can't screw with THEIRS?" Urd just shook her head. "Loopholes kiddo. You have to be VERY specific when wording a wish." I shake my head in disbelief. "So the spirit of the wish is meaningless? Just because I didn't word it right my wish is downgraded and I lose my entire LIFE!" Just then Belldandy came in looking a bit disappointed. No, come on, NO!

Seemly reading my thoughts she shook her head sadly at me. "I'm so sorry, Father said the Demon's wish and yours are not in conflict, therefore you must stay here." No. Kikyo. Inuyasha. Sango, Miroku, Kagome, Shippo. All my friends. I have to get back to them! I stand up. "There must be a way! There HAS to be a way. I don't think your creator would make something that would give happiness just to take it away!" They all looked at me sadly. Damn, I don't need their pity I need their HELP!

Belldandy just looked at me. "I'm sorry. Nothing can break the Ultimate Force. Even if you did return you'd be dragged back here." I slump down. I look into my lap. "So this….is my destiny? Separated from all I hold dear. Everything I fought so hard to protect? There really is no way to break the chains of fate that binds me?" I look up at them. "I can't accept that. I WON'T accept that!" They just looked at me in pity. "You cannot stop the Ultimate force." I look down. I may not be able to STOP it, but I can bend it, survive it. "How about if I cancel and change my wish. Make it specific to the dimension I was in?" Urd shook her head. "That will never work. The Demon's contract would then have priority since it is a longer standing contract." I grip the hilt of my sword. I have an idea. By all that is holy it's probably the dumbest idea a person can think of. Not to mention if it works I don't think I can count on going to heaven. Thinking back to Kikyo and my friends, I make up my mind. I'm not going to let those demon bastards win!

"I want to see the Creator." They all look at me like I am insane. Well, maybe I am. "I need to talk to her. I need to plead my case." Belldandy looked a bit worried. "I don't think you should go to that extreme. You can make a good life here, a new one." I shook my head. I was resolute in this. "I can't abandon all my friends without a fight. I need to fix this and the only one that can is the Creator. Please. Help me at least in THAT way." Belldandy just shook her head and left for the phone. I breathed deeply. If the creator didn't help me and I had to go through what I planned my soul is probably worse than damned. I mentally shrug. I have to do this. For all the people who ever believed in me. That's something special. To have someone count on you. It might cost me everything but I'm going to prove worthy to that belief.

Belldandy returned looking somber. "Please, this way." She gestures towards a mirror in their living room. She holds out her hand. "Please take my hand and do not let go until we are to the other side." I nod and she starts entering the mirror. I keep my senses open. I need to know every sliver that I can.

After a bit of a tour we arrive in what looks like a waiting room. I can feel awesome power all around me. Damn, if this interview doesn't go well this is going to be harder than I thought. I see a pretty blonde that looks to be chewing bubble gum. She looks at me through thick glasses and says "Next!". I look around and see I'm the only one. I shrug and head toward the door that was emblazed with a large, glowing blue "C". I enter and see a huge sky blue desk. And behind that desk is….

"The Creator is just a light bulb?" I hear chuckling in my mind and the bright light changes its shape to become a person. I look on in bewilderment. "Judge Judy?" She just smiles at me. "Only an image. Who says I can't have fun?" I just shake my head. Whatever the omnipotent lady wanted, the omnipotent lady got. "I take it you know why I'm here?" She nodded. "Yup, reading minds is pretty easy. You think that back up plan will work?" I shrug. "I don't know. Probably not. But I owe it to everyone to try." Her face looked deadly serious. "Do you know the consequences of that action, even if you succeed?" I shook my head. "I know it probably wouldn't be good for me."

She looked at me coldly and I can feel the weight of the room increase. "You'd be facing you're soul's destruction. Not just damnation. You at least have a chance for redemption no matter how evil you are. Through reincarnation and various other means. Your soul would be utterly destroyed. And I am the only being in existence that could do it since I created you." I kept my gaze steady. "Then I hope I won't have to use my backup plan." She sighed and looked down toward her desk. "I cannot break the Demon's wish, nor can I manipulate yours to return you. I can make it so it does not happen again, but that dimension is forever out of your reach." I sigh. "You know I won't accept that." She looked at me in almost shock. "You are actually willing to go ahead with that crazy idea?" I smile at her. "You know me best, you should know!" She looked like she was about to weep. "You'll destroy yourself, you know that." I looked at her sadly. "Hopefully not until my friends are all safe. Are you going to warn everyone and stop me?" She shook her head in profound sadness. "I created the Gods and Demons with a purpose, and swore not to interfere. To warn them would be to interfere but I beg you, do not go through with this!"

I smiled. At that moment, so looked and sounded just like my mother when she was telling Yasha and me not to do something supremely dangerous and very stupid. I remembered all the times with my brother. Some good, mostly bad. And I knew if I did not get back it'd be all bad. Not to mention what Naraku would do to Kikyo. I had to try. I'm probably going to fail. I know that, and I accept that. But I can't live with the knowledge I left them to die. I looked right at her. "Sorry, but I can't let the people I love down. When it comes time for you to….well blast me or whatever, no hard feelings! Bye….mom" with that I turned and left.

As soon as I left the door I wrapped myself in my energy, cloaking myself. I spent a lot of time perfecting this technique. So far no one could tell where I was. I'm not going to let that make me arrogant since I am in a place that has different rules and I know nothing about. Belldandy gave me the nickel tour, but the one place I made SURE she showed me was the computer mainframe. Yggdrisil, or something like that. I asked a few questions and Belldandy was very forthcoming in her answers. I felt kind of bad for tricking her like this but I need to get back. Since I know a little about computer, though no where near the level of the Goddesses I know about what I have to do. Seems like all the wishes of both Gods and Demons are stored in Ygg….well the big damn computer. Anyway, they are in sort of a priority queue. Meaning the older the wish, the higher the priority. Now I won't even attempt to try to do something like reprogramming. Also looking for my wish is like a needle in a haystack. At least it would be if wishes didn't contain the essence of the person who made the wish. I just need to follow my nose to what smells like myself, change my wish a bit and crash the system so all wishes AFTER mine are gone. This way my new, revised wish has higher priority than anything coming after it.

Gee, simple. Now all I have to do is bust my way into the computer and run like hell to my wish file. Oh yeah, and hope no Goddess debuggers stop me before it. The best part is if I succeed, as soon as I die my soul is probably going to be blown up by the Creator for screwing up her system. No, my life is not too complicated in the least!

Getting into the computer was relatively easy. I just found a hatch and down I went. Unfortunately, the place is HUGE. In fact, the word huge is probably the biggest understatement I can make. I guess a computer controlling every universe in existence had to be pretty big, but right now I am flying blind. Once I can feel for my essence it'll be easy, but I only have a certain range and this place is HUGE! I know I said that before but it bears multiple repetitions! Damn, I don't even have a map. Hmm, I draw my sword. The sword is made from my fang, my essence. Hopefully it can point me in the right direction. I relax my arm. Please sword, please point me in the right direction. I feel a tug. I allow my arm to move and it stops once it points to a direction to my right. Thank you sword! One of these days I'm going to name you!

I run in the direction my sword pointed to. I keep my energy carefully folded into myself but I don't believe for a second that they won't find a way to zero in on me. I can only hope they don't think I'm stupid enough to be inside their computer system.

I've been running for two hours and NOTHING. Damn, now I think I know how Goku felt running on Snake Way. Is there an END to this? I pull out my sword again. The pull is stronger than before. I'm getting closer. Good. I hope the creator doesn't spill the beans to the Gods about what I'm doing. I'm sure they can just pull up a file where my wish is and just have a nice bunch of armed War Gods waiting for me. I continue on for another hour or so when I come up to a….well it looked like a bunch of boxes connected to each other by strings. Must be the queue. I look and see there are A LOT of boxes. They are all almost interwoven. I draw my sword and allow it to guide me. It takes me to a particular box where I can feel a part of myself coming from it. I touch it and am surprised to see the wording of my wish displayed in plain text. I think about editing it and I see a blinking icon appear. Cool! My kind of computer.

I just add to the bottom of the wish that the dimension I would be reborn in would be my home and I could not be taken away from it. Before I hit save I look at the box right after it. All the one's after mine have to be destroyed totally or they can be restored and I'm right back into the mess I started from. I transform my sword and cut the line connecting my wish to the wishes after. I hit save on my box and gather all the power around me. I release an attack I was always hesitant to use. I call it my Piggy Back Attack! It's more impressive than it sounds. Basically I use the energy from one target to flow into the next target, always gathering and increasing energy from target to target. It worked great for large groups of demons but if it got too powerful it can do A LOT of damage. It also doesn't start out too powerful so it's not too useful for one on one combat. I release the power of my attack and watch in satisfaction as the wishes are destroyed one after another. I would have preferred to just find the Demon's wish but that would definitely be impossible.

I look at the wishes being blasted and hope deep in my heart that the good people who's wishes I destroyed would be granted the chance for another wish after this mess is sorted. I see a few Goddesses swearing and carrying hammers. They fire at the huge energy wave eating up the wishes of trillions upon trillions of people and I see the blast absorbs their attack and starts spilling over to other areas. Uhm…uh ohh…..

The attack is growing wild and spreads towards other systems. Fortunately the blast is heading in a direction opposite of the remaining wishes but still, I didn't want to blow up half the computer! I see one of the boxes destroyed releases a dark cloud that dissipates. I can feel a wrenching pain deep inside me and fall to my knees, using my sword as a crutch keeping me upright. Damn, guess that was the one. I can see through my hand. I hope these means I am going back. I can feel myself fading, losing consciousness. My last thoughts were of Kikyo's smiling face.

I woke up with a groan. Damn. I am not a morning person nowadays! Every time I wake up it's in extreme pain. I can smell the sweet scents of the forest. I look around to see myself in a familiar clearing. I look around and I am happy to see that someone built a fire here not too long ago and the tracks look a lot like Inuyasha and the others. Did I make it back? I hope to everything holy I did. I rethink my statement in my head. Well, I don' think all that is holy likes me very much. And seeing as I screwed up the Demon's wish I don't think the other side likes me too much either. I get up and smell for the others. May as well enjoy life, since I don't think I'll have any after life. I get a whiff of Kikyo and I run off in that direction. I wonder how long it's been since I was gone. For me it's been a few days, but it might not be that for everyone else. I am getting close to Kikyo's scent.

BLOOD! Kikyo's scent is mixed with blood. She's injured! I redouble my efforts. Kikyo can't die, not yet…

I emerge from the forest into a field and I see a scene that chills my blood. Kikyo is trying to stand with numerous wounds lining her body. Kagome is either dead or unconscious and she smells like she lost a lot of blood. Sango and Miroku are doing their best to keep a horde of demons away from the two injured mikos. Shippo is right by Kagome's side shooting out his foxfire to those who got to close. Inuyasha…..he's badly wounded facing Kagura. I can hear Kagura's hateful laugh. "Look at you, pitiful half breed! Your brother couldn't stand to be with a weakling like you which is why he left your pitiful group. Now, your life is forfeit!" As she raised her fan to strike a probable killing blow I growled out. "You can say that again…"

The whole fields attention was on me but I didn't care. Kagura….she KNEW I was taken. That means Naraku knew, probably made the deal to get rid of me. Once I was gone they wasted little time trying to kill off everyone. I draw my sword. I let it transform. It's time I stopped holding back. No more games. I swiped my sword into the large group Miroku and Sango were fighting with negligible effort and saw with grim satisfaction how my blast disintegrated most of them. I hefted my huge blade on my shoulder as I walked towards Kagura and my brother. Kagura looked suitable stunned.

"This isn't possible. There's no WAY you could have returned!" I smile grimly at her. "Oh I'm back. I paid probably the heaviest price a person can but I'm back. Now….Kagura…" I put my sword right out in front of me as I gathered power. I look at her coldly. I always thought maybe I could get her heart back and free her from Naraku. But now? She's gone WAY too far. I'll release her all right. She raises her fan and swipes at me. I can see her deadly blades as they make their way toward me with a cold expression on my face. Once I release my attack they won't matter. "Kagura….your life is FORFEIT!" I swung my blade down, unleashing a Progressive Backlash Wave. Unlike a normal one that is as powerful as you release it, this one eats up the energy around it and what's thrown INTO it. Once it hits the target it sucks the energy right out of the target and uses that energy to rip them to shreds! Her attack is greedily swallowed by mine as it makes its way towards her. She makes a frightful shriek before my attack consumes her. She releases a small cry of pain before being torn asunder.

When I look I see Kikyo stumbling toward me. I make a large swipe with my sword, healing her and the others. With no injuries hampering her she runs right into my arms. I hold her as I watch Inuyasha and Shippo help Kagome while Sango picks up a tired Kirara in her arms and Miroku looks at her with a sad expression. I feel Kikyo's tears line my kimono. I look down at her. It was worth it. Whatever price I pay it was worth it. For her. For them. She looks up at me through tearful eyes. "Tomas…" I lean down and look deep into her eyes.

"**AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!**" She's got my right ear and she's pulling me down to her eye level! "Tomas! Where the HELL have you been? We have been SO worried, we've been searching EVERYWHERE for you! What was the big idea? Leaving in the middle of the night like a damn THEIF! Why of all the stupid…." I had tears in my eyes as the others just looked on amused at my plight. This is NOT worth it!

After Kikyo finished robbing me of whatever masculinity I've managed to garner the last fifty or so years we traveled toward Kaede's Village. Kagome needed to go back home for a while and we all needed a rest. I most certainly. We set up camp and unlike before everyone gathered around the fire. Kikyo was the first to break the silence. "Well Tomas, you want to tell us where you have been for the past few days?" She's been rather cold to me after her tearful hug. They want answers. They deserve them but I'm not sure how to give them. This can and will change how they see me. Kikyo knows most of it since Naraku tried to use it to split us up. Everyone else will feel betrayed. I can't lie to them though.

"To know what happened to me, you guys first have to know something about me. A secret I've never told anyone, except for Kikyo here." Kikyo's breath sucked in a bit. She knows I wouldn't bring this up if I didn't have to. This is going to be a doozy…

"We all know Kagome is the reincarnation of Kikyo. Kagome could probably remember bits and pieces of Kikyo's life. Well, what if someone was born and remembered EVERYTHING from their past life? As soon as they were born they remembered their old life. And their old life was not somewhere in the past, but in a totally other place and time." I looked up from the fire to see that most of them were confused. "Ok, lets say we saw a play. It was totally new, something you never could have imagined. Now. Think if you died at that moment and you were reborn into someone from that play. Even if the play was made up, there is some place and time where that play is REAL, and you are THERE and part of it." I can see dawning understanding so I continued.

"Now the reason I am here, is because I wished I could be somewhere and make a difference to people. There was a…..story of Inuyasha and all the trials and hardships he and his companions had to face. I figured if I wanted to make a difference I may as well do so in an environment I knew pretty much what to do." Miroku cut me off in an angry voice. "Are you saying you KNEW all this was to happen? "I shook my head. "No, let me finish and I'll answer all your questions."

I sighed. "So I asked for a wish and I got it. I became Inuyasha's twin brother. And I am his brother. I did my best to help him as the years went by but knowing something and being able to change it are two different things. I was very weak. I couldn't help Inuyasha as I was. I had to get stronger." Now Inuyasha cut me off. "That's why you trained with that human!" I looked at Yasha like he was retarded. The jury is still out on THAT decision. "Bro, you just realized that NOW? I told you as much when I left to train!" He just blushed and looked down. Argh, stupid sidetracking!

"ANYWAY! I trained as best I could and when I felt ready I went to help my brother. I knew of Naraku and I knew of how he would try to set him and Kikyo up. I had hoped to reach him before that happened but….I failed. I healed Kikyo and hoped that there could be reconciliation with her and my brother. Unfortunately Naraku took the jewel. You guys all know THAT story of chasing and defeating him for it. In any case, I pretty much forgot my origins. I was here, I was me, and that's all that mattered. But…somehow, Naraku KNEW who I was. He knew how I got here. He tried to use that knowledge to destroy the trust I've built with Kikyo." Kagome was looking at me in wonder but Sango and Inuyasha were looking at me like I had impaled them with my claws. "Wow, one wish and you wished to help people, that's so cool!" I smiled at Kagome's enthusiasm. It has some ups but a whole lot of downs….

Miroku looked at me with his expression blank. "While an entertaining tale, that still does not answer the original question of where you were." I shake my head. "Remember when I said my wish was granted? Well it was granted by a Goddess. There seems to be a flip side as well. There are Demons who grant wishes. I guess one of them got a wish to get rid of me. I was sent to a different world. Similar to this only I didn't exist. To make a long story short I had to find a way to get back here and I did."

Kikyo looked at me in contemplation. "How did you return if it was a wish? Could you not be taken again?" She looked a bit worried at that thought. I put my arm around her. "I made sure I couldn't be taken away like that again. I'm here by your side till the day I die." Just not after. Inuyasha looked at me with distrust but it was Shippo who asked the question innocently. "So how'd you get back? What did you do?" They all looked at me in interest. I couldn't tell them the price I was going to pay for what I did to get back. I gently disengaged myself from Kikyo and walked to get some privacy. I answered as I walked away. "I did what I had to. I just did what I had to."

After I got a good length away I jumped into a tree and looked at the stars. I tried to burn them into my mind as well as all the happy moments in my life. I remember the Creator's sad face when she told me of what the punishment would be. Total destruction. Never to know heaven or hell, never to be reincarnated. I'll just simply not exist. I can feel that's going to be my punishment. Especially when my attack got out of control in their computer systems. I really hope they fix everything ok. Except the damn Demon's wish. I'm also hoping they don't play around with the queue and somehow restore the order of the wishes. Then I'm right back where I started and I doubt I'll be let back into heaven for another audience. I hope we destroy Naraku before that. Once he and that damn jewel is gone, I'm sure Yasha and the others can get along without me. That won't mean I won't miss them. Especially Kikyo. I don't think there's anything I won't do for her.

I think back to my thoughts and laugh a bit before I start crying. I pretty much worse than damned myself for her. I just hope she doesn't do anything stupid when she dies and goes to heaven. I have NO doubt she's going there despite what that Kami said. She's a good person. Everyday I can see her aura and it's as bright now as it was fifty years ago. I just hope that she can forgive me. I destroyed a lot of good people's happiness for my selfishness. Most of those wishes were from good people who deserved them and the happiness they got from them. I destroyed their happiness just because I needed to get ONE bad wish. Thousands, probably an extreme amount more, of wishes, gone. I guess the people calling me a monster weren't so far off….

Another chapter DONE! I really hope people can guess the animes I talked about in this chapter. If you can't…..what's WRONG with you people? Anyway, the five cheerleading girls were from Sailor Moon, of COURSE! And the rest is Oh My Goddess. And once again, no reviews. Is anyone out there? ANYBODY?


	7. Chapter 7

Welcome all to chapter seven. Lucky seven. Maybe this will be the chapter I can get a review on! I won't hold my breath cause I like living. Seriously, I GOT REVIEWS! One from TheTraveller411. I appreciate all the comments, even if I can't really understand most of it ;). I got the gist of it in that you like the story. I'm happy someone does! Another thank you to Yohan for his comments. As for making Tomasaru TOO strong, well I guess it's my fault for not having many fight scenes since I don't think I am very good at them and I don't want to DBZ it having one fight take five chapters. I made Tomasaru into a speedy guy. If you read the first story, he got his butt chewed out by Sesshomaru…LITERALLY! Most of the so called fight scenes I made he basically was dodging and threw a power blast to put things simply. Don't worry, they'll be more and better fight scenes to come. I just used most of the fights to move the story along. Things started to get darker for Tomasaru in the previous chapters, the next few will basically have him trying not to be obliterated by BOTH the Gods and Demons. Should be good fun! Wow, this is a big ass paragraph but I like to show my profound appreciation for those who actually take the time to review and tell me their thoughts. This is feedback from my views to answer the reviewer and everyone curious to their points. Well, standard disclaimer, I don't own anything except my self insert character. Anyone wanting money from me get in line! YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

It was a long night. Everyone was recovering from the battle. I healed what I could but my sword can't heal any wounds magical. Demons are magical by nature. Hence most of the wounds are still there, though not as bad. I managed to heal some of it but no where near as effective as normal wounds. I can only hope we can find Naraku before the Gods and Goddesses fix the mess I left them. I know once they do I'm dead in every way that counts.

I hop down from the tree and make my way to camp. I see it's already packed up and the others are ready to leave. I may have killed Kagura, but she was small fry. We need to find Naraku. I'm on borrowed time as it is. "Ok guys, lets get Naraku!" They look at me strangely. I guess last night's revelations still left them a bit shaken. Normally I'd let them work through it themselves, but I am on a timetable here. "Kikyo, can you shield the jewel? Mask it?" She looked a bit confused but then her face lighted with recognition before going back to dejected. "It will not work, remember the compass was created to find the jewel no matter what masked it. You will still get it pointing here." Crap, forgot about that. I guess desperate people are stupid people.

Miroku looked at me strangely. "Why are you in such a hurry? We will find Naraku in due time. The last attack proved he believed us a threat. He will show himself in time if only to take our Shikon shards." I clench my fists. Kikyo notices my discomfort and looks suspiciously at me. "Why are you in a hurry Tomas?" I looked at her and muttered "Nothing."

She got a determined look and turned to the others. "Excuse us!" She marched up to me and grabbed my right ear and marched me into the forest with me whimpering all the way. Once we got far enough she released my ear with a shove that nearly made me tip over. Once I recovered I turned to see her face set in lines of dissatisfaction. "Ok, want to tell me what's wrong." I cross my arms and look away. "Nothing, I just want to get to Naraku as soon as possible." She narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe you. Our last quest you acted nothing like this. Now after your trip you are heedlessly going forward no matter the risk. You never would have suggested that stupid plan before. What's wrong?" I want to tell her it's none of her concern, that everything is alright. But I couldn't. I've never been a good liar and Kikyo knows too damn well.

"To get back. I had to do something….very bad." Kikyo eyes widened a bit but did not look surprised. "I gathered that from last night. What did you do?" I winced. I'm STILL trying to figure out the full extent of what I did. The more I understood, the more horrified I become. The really sick part is knowing what I am still figuring out I'd STILL do it. "Well, first I tried to find a Goddess to get me back, but they couldn't do it. I spoke to the Creator, and she couldn't do it either." Kikyo looked stunned. I guess meeting the Creator of EVERYTHING is sort of a big deal. I remember her words and I am NOT looking forward to our next meeting. "She was bound by her rules, and she couldn't undo the Demon's wish, so I sort of did it myself."

Kikyo looked at me a bit proudly. Well, better not get too proud of me Kikyo. I still haven't told you HOW I did it. "That does not sound so bad. Why are you looking ill?" I gulped. "I sort of broke into the place where my wish was being kept. I then changed it so I couldn't be taken from this world." Kikyo narrowed her eyes at me. "Toooommmmaass……you STILL are not telling me exactly why you are looking so troubled?"

I closed my eyes. No way to sugar coat this. "I had to be sure my wish was not somehow over ruled by the Demon's wish, so I….destroyed all the wishes made after mine." I looked at Kikyo and she looked horrified. Yeah, she's got the idea. She looked at me in disgust. "You….took all those wishes from innocent people…." She whispered in disgusted awe. I just looked down. Seeing the loathing in her eyes towards me was too much. "I had no idea which was the demon's wish. The only way to be sure was.." She cut me off in a soft voice. "To destroy them all. You…violated so MANY people Tomas.." My ears dropped. "I had to get back, I had to make sure you were alright.."

"STOP!" I looked up at her angry voice. "Do NOT use myself or anyone else as an excuse. What you've done….do you have ANY idea what you've DONE!" I nod slowly. "Yes. I do. And seeing you all in the position you were yesterday I'd do it again!" She backed away from me looking at me as if I were a monster. Thinking back to my actions, I guess I was. Only a monster would sacrifice trillions for his own needs. She looked me in the eyes where her tears were falling. "I….do not know you! You are NOT the man I knew. Do not return to the group."

I raise my hand to wipe away her tears to have it slapped away. "Do NOT touch me! You lost all right! How much have you destroyed to return? How many lives have you ruined?" I looked at her with my own eyes blazing. "What was I supposed to do? You give you up, abandon you all?"

"YES!" I looked at her in stupefied amazement. "Wha.." She looked at me through reddened eyes. "Do you believe, for one SECOND we would have wanted to harm all those innocents you have harmed for our own needs? I think I can speak for everyone when I say we'd have rather died than pay that price. Now that you saved us, does it make you feel better? DOES IT?" I look at her in profound sadness. "Yes." She looked at me with hate. It took my breath away. I have never seen her look at me like THAT. Truthfully I never want to see that look again. "Good, take that happiness because that is all you will get from me and everyone else. I….thought you better than this! What you have done….it PALES in comparison of Naraku's! He only killed people here in Japan and this world. You….I shudder to think of the scope of lives you have destroyed." I looked at her sadly. "I only wanted.." She turned and cut me off.

"Enough! What you wanted? Yes, of course. What YOU want is paramount next to the needs and lives of countless others. Do not let me see your face EVER again!" Then she walked away. Away from me and out of my life. I slumped to the ground. I looked at my clawed hand. Am I worse than the demons I fought against? Sure, they kill innocents. But I…I DAMNED innocents. Just so I can get back to Kikyo and the others. Now, now I have nothing. Kikyo hates me, with good reason, and I doubt everyone else will be feeling fuzzy joy once they hear the length I went through to get back. Ok, lets review. No friends, no love, and every God and Demon in existence probably wants to tear me to shreds not to mention all the good people who lost their wishes because of me. Ok, I guess I deserve ultimate death.

I rise from my slumped position. If this is to be my last life then I may as well make sure I don't leave anything unfinished. Once I kill Naraku and reclaim the jewel they should be well enough on their own. I look at the compass and see it pointing to the direction Kikyo left. Well, I guess I'll go the opposite direction until the needle changes. Then it should be pointing to Naraku. I guess I'll have to do this alone. Heh, I tried so hard to get back and now I am more alone then when I was in the other world. Talk about irony. Well, may as well get going.

I moved as quickly as I could from tree to tree. I've been traveling for more than a day and the needle still hasn't twitched in any other direction than the one I left. Damn, Naraku must be far awa…oh, it moved! Great! It suddenly shifted Northeast. With a feral grin I race off in that direction. Alright Naraku. Your days are just as numbered as mine!

As I make my way my foot hits something crunchy. I stop and lift my foot. Damn. "Sorry Myoga, in bit of a hurry." I peel him off my heel and watch as he gently floats to the ground. Once landing he pops back to his original shape. Resilient little bugger isn't he? "Master Tomasaru, I'm so glad I found you! I've been looking everywhere for you and Master Inuyasha." I looked at him deadpan. "You'd know where we were if you didn't cut and run whenever it looks like a battle is brewing!" He looked shocked. "Master! You know as I, your faithful vassal, would never abandon you in your time of need!" My heart beats painfully in my chest. "Why not? Everyone else did!" Myoga looked upset. "What? Master I will find Inuyasha and the others and give them the dressing down of a…"

I shake my head. "Stop." He looked at me confused. Although he is a coward, he's been my companion for over sixty some odd years. My fate is pretty much sealed. He'll probably run anyway but may as well give him the heads up I'm going into something I'm probably not going to make it out of. "Myoga, they have every right to be angry, and even disgusted with me. I've done something…..horrible." He looks at me in complete faith. How funny that it was being looked at like that and being the one relied on caused me to probably one of the worst crimes in the entire multiverse. "Master, whatever you've done I'm positive you had a good reason to do it!" Good old Myoga. Always trying to cheer me up when I'm down. I'll miss him. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions my friend and I just paved an intercontinental road. I need you to tell the others a message for me."

I try to keep myself calm. I feel the weight of all I've done weighing me down like Atlas's burden. My friends, well old friends, deserve at least a goodbye, even if I can't give it personally. "Tell Sango I'm proud of her. She's become a great demon hunter and when I see her in action I'm reminded of her great grandfather." Myoga looks alarmed. "Master!" I shake my head. "Please Myoga, this is your last assignment from me. Tell Miroku that his spiritual powers are on par with the greatest I've seen, but he REALLY needs to learn to keep his hands to himself. Tell Kagome that I'm happy to have known her and she's her own person, not Kikyo and never her." I sigh, the next two people are the closest to my heart. "Tell my brother….tell him I'm proud to be related to someone like him. And Kikyo…" What to say? She basically ripped my heart out and did the dance of joy on it. As a priestess I can understand how horrible what I did can look, but I really didn't expect that level of revulsion. "Tell her I love her and I hope one day she can understand and forgive me."

Myoga looked agitated. I can relate, things are not looking too good from my view either. "Master, please stop talking like this! Let us return to the others. I'm sure whatever happened is not as bad as you are claiming." I looked at the flea with grim eyes. "It's probably worse. Get the story from Kikyo and the others. I have one last thing to do before the end." Myoga was hopping up and down begging. "Please Master, this is not necessary. You can work together with the others!" I turn to where the compass is pointing. "The others want nothing to do with a monster like myself, not that I can blame them. Myoga. You've been a great friend and retainer for me. You've helped me more times that I can count. You've run away just as many times though. I'll miss you." With that I took to the trees leaving the crying and begging flea behind. I don't want to lie to myself and say some garbage like it's better this way, but at least no one else will be hurt once I take on Naraku. He's got a bit more than half the Jewel. Hopefully I'm strong enough to take it and put an end to him once and for all.

As I go from tree to tree I feel something familiar wash over me. Shrugging I continue on to hit a barrier. As I slide down it I groan. Damn, that was a detection ward to let someone know to put up the barrier. Must be a powerful one if they need to turn it on and off. Usually a barrier you turn it on and forget it. If it's really REALLY powerful then you need to use the energy cautiously or you'll burn it out. I raise my fist and slap it into the barrier. It takes a second but the pain reaches my hand and I pull back and shake my injured hand. Damn, that was STUPID! As I hop around waving my hand in the air I hear clapping. Forgetting the pain I turn towards the sound surprised. I didn't smell anyone nor did I hear any heartbeats.

I look and see…..Mara. Oh crap on a stick with fries and a shake! She smiles coldly down from a tree branch. "Well if it isn't the mutt. You know you are probably the greatest demon I've had the pleasure to know. Oh Naraku, he's evil and evil through, but YOU! Oh, dear boy you surprise me!" I growled. Damn bitch. "You broke my wish over you. That in itself is impressive, but you not only did that but you broke EVEYONE'S wishes over the multiverse PLUS caused a near catastrophic system failure that nearly destroyed a cluster of dimensions and ruined the lives of more mortals than your puny mind can create a number to represent it! Oh, you have done something every Demon always wished to do but haven't the courage for!"

I snarled at her. "I didn't do it for kicks! I had to get back. My friends needed me!" She just smirked at me in a superior way. "Where are those friends now I wonder?" She put her finger to her chin in mock thought. "Oh yes, they wanted nothing to do with a butcher such as yourself! Oh, that was priceless. The woman you loved spurning you so completely. My, it must have really hurt. Especially knowing you'll never be able to see her in any other life." My eyes burned. I completely destroyed myself and my 'friends' abandoned me. The one thing I tried so hard to keep from doing to them. "Yes, they did abandon you, didn't they? All that effort. All that sacrificing, and for what? NOTHING!" She laughed as if this was the greatest joke she's ever heard. In truth it probably is. Everything I've done and all I accomplished amounts to jack squat to what I did to get back. "Oh my, I haven't enjoyed entertainment like this in millennia!"

She looked down at me thoughtfully. "You know, usually a demon like myself revels in the destruction they cause. They pain and suffering they bring to their victims. When I watched you begging to those goody goody Goddesses I was SO pleased to see your hopes of getting back here crumble. But did you give up, no siree! You actually….I still don't believe it! You ACTUALLY went up to see the Creator. And after SHE turned you down you CRASHED the whole blessed Multiverse Mainframe! Now that's balls, Big, planet crushing BALLS!" Stupid Demoness!

"Aren't you at all pissed that I crashed the system?" She waved in my direction airily. "Oh, don't get me wrong, myself, as well as every demon down below are extremely angry that our ability to grant wishes to bring grief to mortals has been suspended, or in your case, nullified, until the system is brought back online. We can't do much without the power of wishes to you mortals. Then on the flip side neither can the Gods. You effectively disrupted the very Creator's divine plans. Oh, that's the only reason I'm not tearing into you. In all my millennia I've never witnessed an execution of this scale. A very SOUL'S destruction. Oh….it gets me….excited." I can see her flushed and wiggling on the tree branch. Damn, that is one sick demon.

"So when the system is back online they're going to try me?" She shook her head amused. "Nope, once you die you are judged for what you have done in your life. So once you are dead….oh boy! It's going to be better than the OJ Simpson trial!" I frowned at her. She just smiled smugly. "No acquitting for you dog boy! There's no question of your guilt." I just glare at her. "As interesting as this is, I need to get through Naraku's barrier." She just smiled and a door into the purple dome opened. I looked at her suspiciously. "Why so helpful?" She just smiled sweetly. "Naraku is going to win. He won in several dimensions, this one included. Inuyasha and his pals put up a good fight, I'll give them that, but they lose and die in the end."

I shook my head. "That makes no sense, if Naraku wins then how is the present NOT affected?" She stares deeply into my eyes. "Silly doggy. The jewel consumes him and then collapses onto itself. Like a sun turning into a black hole. He'll be sucked into the void once the jewel is fully corrupted." She looked at my face. "What, thought the only was the jewel could be destroyed was for it to be 'purified'? Ha! Either direction works hon."

She points towards the door she made. "Go on boy! Meet your fate. I'll see you at the trial. Well, more like the execution!" With that she disappeared in a puff of red sulfur. Damn, that stuff stinks! Yasha loses? They all die? I remember the Kami's words in what seemed ages ago. That bastard! He KNEW! He knew, and did nothing but watched as good people died. I don't care what their 'supposed' destiny was! It's not going to happen. No matter what she or anybody else says, the future has not yet been determined. It's an open road, not a railroad track!

I make my way past the barrier and watch as it closes up. I guess there is no turning back now. Not that I could anyway. Being in too deep doesn't even begin to describe my situation. I keep walking and see the familiar castle. Well, he seems to like the place. I unsheathe my sword and transform it. I send a weak blast into the front of his castle. After the debris settle I yell out "Knock knock you bastard!"

From the dust of the debris I see his figure slowly walking towards me. I settle into my stance when I see him emerge wearing his bone like armor and his jewel glowing malevolently in his chest. He looks at me and chuckles. That does nothing for my temper and I ground out "What's so damn funny?" He doesn't stop laughing and merely continues looking at me. "You. I'm amazed someone so stupid could cause me so much trouble. But the jewel.." he chuckles sinisterly. "The jewel, it KNOWS all…." I get a cold knot in my stomach. Either the jewel is making him even more off his rocker than usual or…

"Yes, to the possessor of the Shikon No Tama, the wielder has access to the multiverse's mainframe…." My eyes widen in shock. "Yes. I can see all the threads of fate and the destinies of all whom I choose. I know I win, it's as simple as watching the end of a movie." I snarl at him. "What about YOUR destiny? You know THAT, HUH!" He smiles wickedly at me. "The jewel cannot tell the possessor their destiny since the jewel SHAPES destiny. It does not matter, I know everything, I can DO anything!"

I smirk at him. "I beat you last time and you had the whole jewel. What makes you think now is going to be any different when you have only half?" He manifests his power. It's HUGE. It's…..it's even MORE powerful then when he had the whole jewel. "How…"

"When you and your friends attacked me I just finished creating my little back up plan. Mara told me of my destiny and how to best employ it. You merely defeated a doll endowed with the power of the jewel while I lay dormant, waiting. And now my time is here. And yours….has come to its end!" He raises his hand and a blast of dark miasma shoots forth I dodge to the left. I look at the spot I just vacated and see a five foot crater. I look at him shocked. He just keeps his sinister smile. "That was just an inkling of my true power. Your dead, fool!" He fires another blast and I again more out of the way.

This isn't good. He looks and feels like he's just flexing him proverbial muscles. I thought all the traveling and training made me strong, and with me embracing both my human and demon sides made me stronger. But this…

I jump again and angle myself toward Naraku. I cleave my giant fang towards his head and hit a purple barrier. Damn, forgot about that…

He smiled and his demonic aura flexed, pushing me away and burning me slightly. I back away smoking slightly. Ok, this isn't going well. He moves toward me, turning his arm into a red, fleshy scythe that I block with my fang. The blow pushes me back and my arms jar painfully. I grunt to hold my ground and Naraku looks like he's not even exerting himself. Definitely NOT good. He then pushes me off and as I move back fires a horizontal wave of black energy that hits me squarely in the chest.

"**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**" My chest, my whole body burns! I am gasping for breath as I lay on the cold ground. Was that his poison? Whatever it was it hurt worse than almost anything I've been through. And I've been through A LOT.

I just hear chuckling. The bastard is slowly walking toward me. He has me and we both know it. I painfully sit up and use my sword to get me to my feet. I'm not going to die on my back. He looks amused at my attempt to prepare myself for his next assault. "Look at you. You could have been a ruler. You could have had the lands quaking with the very mention of your name. Now look at you. Your pitiful existence was justified by others. Now you are alone. Look how WEAK you are!" He attacks me again and I duck under his swing and make my own assault toward his unprotected belly. He gasps as I cut into him and my momentum moves me forward a few steps. I look to see I cut him in half by the waist. He uses his arms to push himself to look at me. Then his lower body shoots tentacles toward the top half and he reattaches himself.

He smirks at me. "Well, shall we try this again?" With that he turns his other arm into a sword and attacks me in a flurry. I jump and dodge as best I can but he still cuts me more than a few times while all I can do is desperately dodge and block. He's too close for a Backlash….well, desperate times. As I block and dodge I focus my energy into my sword. As for my aura I try as best I can to make it as cold as possible. I'm going to try something very risky and extremely stupid since I never attempted anything like this before. I led Naraku into a spiral that I memorized by heart in my early days of training and making techniques I saw in animes. As we got to the center I focused myself. I was mixing TWO of the most powerful attacks I know of together and I hope it doesn't blow up in my face. "Hiryuu Shouten Ha revised!" I swing my fang up into the air releasing a huge Backlash Wave while the power behind the fist HOLDING the fang was as cold as ice.

The results were immediate. A tornado of burning gold lifted Naraku and started sucking his energy out of him as well as tearing him up. He kept reforming himself inside the growing golden tornado and that power was once again used in tearing him apart. I immediately cooled my fang the moment I released the energy so not to get sucked up with Naraku. This was the first time I used the attack since I've never met someone I really needed it on. As I watch Naraku bellow in rage as he keeps reforming himself I'm glad I kept this as a trump card. The tornado seems to be getting taller and wider as time goes on. Is it taking the energy from the jewel? The jewel is burning with evil. Is THAT what's powering the twister now? Well, at least I can sit down now. Damn, I HURT!

My nose twitches. I see the Kami. He seems to be eyeing the twister. He holds out his hand and…he's sucking the twister in! The twister is losing power and Naraku is repairing himself again! I rush toward the seemingly old man and he negligibly tosses me away with his power.

"What are you DOING? Stop, that's NARAKU!" He looks at me coldly. "I know very well who that is hanyou!" Wow, he looks pissed. "I told you that this was destiny, you couldn't fight it and yet you STILL interfered with matters you DO NOT understand." I look at him with angry amber eyes. "What I understand is that you are helping a damn MONSTER!"

I can see burning hatred in his gaze now. "You, of all people, should be wary of calling others monsters, hanyou!" Is he….is he a GOD god, connected to the multiverse computer I crashed? He nodded his head to my mental question. Oh yeah, he read minds. Still annoying! "Wait, why are you HELPING Naraku? He's the bad guy. He killed a lot of people and he'll just keep killing people!"

After Naraku safely touched down and continued regenerating himself the God turned to me giving me his full attention. I can't say I liked it. Made me feel like I was in trouble with the principle of my elementary school. "I told you that all mortals have a destiny. They move along, chained to the fate given to them at birth. I told you and you neglected my warnings. This is on your head, not mine." What sort of bull crap is THAT! "That's BS pal! You let Naraku go! You CHOSE to do that. Don't try to wash your hands of this!" Now Naraku was fully healed and looked to be enjoying my discomfort.

"Every creature has a destiny the Creator Herself gives them. It is not random, there is no chance. Things happen for a reason. The bad as well as the good. It all leads toward a glorious future for you mortals you can scarcely imagine! And here you are, thinking that you know better than a being responsible for all life everywhere." I growl. What a damn windbag. This isn't theology 101! "Up yours! This is life. You aren't the one struggling, you aren't the one bleeding and trying to make a better tomorrow! You are just a lazy watcher from the sidelines! We all have a destiny, all our lives are planned. Nothing is left to chance. Bull and a shit! We got free will and we got choices. WE choose, not YOU!"

He just looks at me impassively. "I look forward to your execution before the Creator." I flip him the bird. "I thought you couldn't interfere if you ARE a God. Demons and Gods aren't supposed to interfere with mortals, aren't THOSE the rules?" He smiled. "Mara let you in, meaning to keep the balance I must do something for your opponent. I did. Good luck leading him into a spiral again!" With that he disappeared in a shower of lights. I can't believe a damn GOD saved Naraku.

Naraku just watched with arms crossed as I argued with Kami. I decided I don't like Kami anymore. He smiled at me. "I hope that tornado wasn't your best shot. I must admit I would not have gotten out if not for the God's help. How ironic I was saved and you were betrayed by a God. Now.." His hands morphed back into the scythe and sword and I grabbed the hilt of my fang. Damn, that WAS my best shot. He rushed me and again I was forced to block and dodge. Unfortunately it seems Naraku is fresh while I am still hurting and very tired. I block a decapitating blow of Naraku's scythe with my fang, leaving me open for him to ram his sword straight into my stomach. His red eyes practically glowed with pleasure as I spit up blood. He then twisted his scythe and my sword flew away and transformed back. My eyes widened in pain as he lifted me off the ground as I was impaled on his sword. He looked into my eyes and smiled a sadistic grin. "Scream for me…" His sword lit up with dark power and I felt it rush into me. It felt like a combination of burning and electrocution. Needless to say it was not fun. And I did scream.

I screamed and screamed. He threw me around, nailed me to the ground, covered me with miasma, then ripped me off the ground to toss me around some more. I couldn't tell you which way was which. Up became down and right was left. I knew nothing but pain. Pain and his hideous laughter as he impaled me repeatedly and burned me alive with his power. I could barely breath enough to whimper, much less scream. He seemed to take my silence as an insult and soaked me in his miasma some more. Everything is so dark. Is this the end?

(A few hours before, When Kikyo and Tomasaru parted)

Kikyo stalked through the forest seething with anger and disgust. The person on she….no that..CREATURE was not capable of anything but selfish desires. She came to the clearing and saw she was the center of attention for everyone. Miroku looked up front his sitting position at the base of a tree he was leaning on. "Ah, Lady Kikyo, where is Tomasaru, will he.." Miroku never got to finish when an arrow embedded itself to the left of his head. She growled out "Don't you DARE mention his name again!" Shippo's eyes bugged out of his head while sitting in Kagome's lap. "Wow, I wonder what happened with those two." Miroku turned to his right and answered the little child. "Lover's quarrel I would imagine." His vision was obscured by another arrow landing a half an inch from his nose. He slowly turned his head forward and pretended to meditate.

Inuyasha wasn't so docile. "What the hell crawled up your butt Kikyo? What did my brother do to piss you off THIS bad?" He smirked after he said this. Probably thinking of using it on another dark haired miko of the group. She looked at the group with a furious gaze. "You want to know what he did? He…" she explained everything Tomasaru told her in the clearing. As she finished "That is why I do not even want to be reminded of the fiend. I could tolerate much, but that extent of evil…." Everyone looked lost in thought. Thinking of how horrible the crime truly was. Kagome was crying a bit.

"That's…so sad." Kagome's voice ached with sorrow. She looked at Kikyo with no small amount of pity in her eyes. Kikyo didn't like how her reincarnation was looking at her and narrowed her eyes in agitation. Kagome continued in a broken voice. "What he did….it's horrible. But, we know WHY he did it. I'm positive he didn't want to do what he did, but you said so yourself Kikyo, he did it to get back to you." Kikyo's eyes bore into Kagome's. "I said us, he came back for us. And that should excuse him of these crimes? He destroyed lives beyond mortal comprehension!"

Sango looked thoughtful and remembered the previous night. Tomasaru's words. She echoed them. "He said he did what he had to do. I've known Uncle for a long time. He'd never do such a thing unless…." She thought back to their search for Tomasaru and then fighting with Kagura and all those demons. "He wanted to protect us. He came back so he make sure we were alright. He did what he had to do and damned himself in the process. I know what he did was unforgivable, but not surprising." Miroku looked at her with a raised eyebrow and Kagome and Shippo focused more on her. Inuyasha and Kikyo just looked indifferent.

Sango looked exasperated with the group. "Haven't you noticed by now the length he goes to for the people he cares for?" Her eye's glanced over to Kikyo as she said this. "He spent his life for his brother and then to the memory of Kikyo. He was separated from all he has known and loved and you expected him to stay in an unknown place with shadows of his friends and not do all in his power to return?" Kikyo looked furious at that statement. "We are NOT to blame for his crimes! He did this to himself. He has always thought of himself so he should just stay with himself and not sully ourselves with his presence!" Inuyasha stared at her with no emotion on his face. Arms still crossed he slowly uncrossed them. "Tomasaru and I have never really seen eye to eye. Hell, I tried to kill him a few times. One thing I know for sure is that he would NEVER abandon any of us. EVER!" He looked sadly at the revived priestess. "Especially you Kikyo. He did what he did to help us. He's risked his life for me a lot of times. All of them I threw it into his face. I can't do that this time. I feel like if we don't do something now there won't BE a next time." He got nods from all but Kikyo. She just looked at the hanyou in disgust.

"Well I guess you two are more alike than I care to think about! Do what you like, I will not join you in the aid of a…..monster such as he!" She stormed out of the clearing vision blurring and heart heavy. She leaned on a tree and slumped to the ground. She heard a noise and turned toward the sound. Her reincarnation stood there staring sadly at her. She walked to the tree opposite of her and sat down. She silently watched Kikyo. After a minute or two of the staring contest Kikyo barked out an irritated "What is it you want here?"

Kagome broke off her stare and looked into her lap. "You love him? Don't you?" Kikyo felt her anger rise before controlling it. Ever since she met Tomasaru she has not been in control. Even with Inuyasha she maintained a tight control on her emotions. She got angry and upset with him, yes, but never to the extreme that Tomas took her. "I thought I did. I thought I knew him. In the end, he really was just another demon." Kikyo said the last part in a sigh. Kagome got up eyes blazing "How can you say that?" Kikyo looked up at her startled. Usually Inuyasha was the recipient of her ire. Now it seems she found a new target. "I have some of your memories. I know what he did for you fifty years ago. And then what he did when you were nothing but walking clay with a sliver of MY soul! He's protected me, Inuyasha and everyone else. INCLUDING you!" She pointed her finger angrily at the priestess.

Kagome looked like the anger drained away as she spoke softly. "He's tried so hard. Suffered so much. Everyone can tell he did it all for you." Kikyo's eyes looked like they were burning with tears as she rose and spoke in a clipped, angry tone. "He did not do ANYTHING for me! Only himself. He desired me. He wanted me. He helped me for only his selfish ambitions! He didn't care who he hurt, not even his brother, in his pursuit of me!"

"That ain't true." Both women turned to the source of the voice to see Inuyasha standing with his arms in his sleeves. Kikyo snarled "Leave Inuyasha! This is none of your business. You should not eavesdrop on other's conversations." He just shrugged. "These ears aren't for show, you know that. The way you two were yelling I'd have to be miles away not to hear." His face lost some of its humor. "My brother isn't selfish. He never forced you Kikyo, he would have left if you asked it of him." She snorted in derision. "Come now Inuyasha. Do not lie to me. I know you still have feelings for me." He was about to reply when he noticed Kagome's flinch. Surprisingly that flinch hurt more than Kikyo's words. Remembering what his brother told him he continued. "Yea, I do and I probably always will. But Tomas….Tomas didn't steal you away. He made sure you had all the choices and all the power when he showed interest in you. If you had come to me instead of him…" he remembered that conversation which seemed like a lifetime ago. "He would have allowed it. Even blessed it. Your happiness was always his objective Kikyo."

She closed her eyes and clenched her fists. "How would you know this? Guessing from your point of view?" Inuyasha's ears dropped a bit. "We…we talked about this a while ago. He came to me when things got serious between you two." She looked at the hanyou in anger as he continued "No, no details or anything like that. He just wanted to clear everything up. Told me everything from his perspective and how strongly he felt for you." Kikyo just shouted almost hysterical "He felt NOTHING! He was a selfish monster! I was nothing but a trophy." Inuyasha shook his head sadly. "He said if you chose me he'd have supported you. Then…." He looked up eyes widening in shock. "Oh SHIT! We have to find him!"

He turned and was ready to bolt before Kagome's voice stopped him. "Wait, what's wrong?" He turned toward her with a bit fear in his eyes. He looked at Kikyo and now, for the first time since he met her, he felt real anger toward her. "He told me that if Kikyo ever did have someone else he's bless it then go somewhere to die." His look conveyed the meaning in utter clarity. Kikyo's legs buckled and Kagome rushed to support her. Kikyo muttered softly "He HAS to be selfish. He has to be a monster. He can't be the Tomas I know…" Kagome's eyes looked on her previous incarnation sadly. This was hard on her as well. Inuyasha had no such sympathies at the moment. "I'll get the others and track his scent. I should still be able to follow it!" He rushed off the get the others and start on his brother's trail.

Minutes later Sango, Shippo, Kagome, and a dejected Kikyo rode on the fire cat Kirara while Miroku and Inuyasha were on the ground following his brother's scent. As they raced Inuyasha felt his foot hit something and heard a sick squishing sound. He stopped and raised his foot to see Myoga stuck on his heel. He peeled the flea off and watched him float to the ground where, with an audible pop, he returned to his original shape and looked at the figure that stepped on him. "Oh, Master Inuyasha thank the heavens I found you!" Inuyasha looked on in agitation. "Now isn't a good time Myoga." He turned to run off when the flea jumped on his shoulder. "Wait Master, PLEASE! It's your brother. Something is wrong with him!" He grabbed the flea with his forefinger and thumb and squeezed.

"You saw him? Where was he heading?" The flea was turning blue from lack of oxygen. "Mas….ter….please…..aiirr….." He released the flea who got some air into his lungs and continued with his frantic explanation. "I do not know where he was going, but he seemed….resigned. I saw that look once before. It's the look of a warrior knowing he was about to die." Kirara landed and her riders were also listening in to the explanation. Kikyo's hand went to her mouth when she heard the flea's words. Myoga continued. "You father had that same look in his eyes when he went to rescue your mother so long ago…" Myoga looked himself haunted by visions of a past gone so wrong. He shook himself out of his daze. " Master, I do not know what kind of argument you had but you must help him! He looked and sounded like he had nothing left to live for! He had the look of a warrior with nothing left to fight for!"

Kikyo flinched with every comment the flea made. Was she responsible for his suicide like charge? Did he really care so much that the thought of being alone forever haunted him? She was so lost in her thoughts she did not notice that the fire cat was already flying and following Inuyasha. They moved on until they were stopped by a purple barrier. Kirara landed and her passengers dismounted before turning into a red eyed, two tailed kitten in a flash of flames. Inuyasha was beating on the barrier with his Tetsusaiga and not making a dent. "Wind Scar!" he cried. His energy just bounced off the shield harmlessly.

"Dammit! He's in there. I can SMELL it!" Miroku looked closely at the barrier. "I do not know how he could have entered. This is by far the strongest barrier I have ever seen." Kikyo nodded. That was her assessment as well. Kagome looked on in helpless anticipation. "How do we crack this thing open?" Kikyo opened her mouth to respond when they all heard "**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Inuyasha growled "That's Tomasaru's voice!" Kikyo looked sick. The only time she heard that scream was when he was in extreme pain. Who could do that to him? The answer came almost as soon as she thought it. "Naraku.." she growled. She unstrung her bow and took aim at the barrier. She filled the arrow with her purifying energy and released her payload. It, like the Tetsusaiga's attack, bounced harmlessly off. Sango cursed. "Damn, he's in there alone and there's nothing we can do!" Kikyo looked down in shame. She was the reason he was alone in there, fighting for his life when they should have been facing this together. How ironic that all her arguments about him being evil and a monster disappeared when she heard his agonized scream. She turned to see Miroku with sweat pouring off his face trying to open a hole in the barrier. She looked at her reincarnation.

"Kagome, come with me." As Kagome neared Kikyo spoke softly to her on how to use her powers to pry open a barrier. "Follow Miroku and my lead Kagome." She merely nodded with a serious face. After a few minutes of trying they pulled back and rested. Kagome sat down heavily. "It's no use!" she said through heavy breathing. Kikyo was about to yell at her through her own labored breathing when her spiritual senses went crazy. She looked at the others who seem to have been feeling it as well.

Even Sango who did not have much spiritual training could feel the power behind the barrier spike. She muttered "What the hell…" when a huge sound of a twister interrupted her. They all looked to see inside the barrier a huge golden tornado has risen and expanded. The barrier flashed as it struggled to contain the power lashing into it. Inuyasha looked at the scene in awe. "That looks like a Backlash wave but I've never seen one do THAT….."

Myoga also looked on it with no small hint of pride. "That's my Master! Even when he goes off to die, he doesn't go easy." They all looked at the flea. Shippo was the first to speak. "Since when could he do that!" he pointed his little paw to the twister that was actually pushing its way out of the barrier. Myoga shrugged his little shoulders. "Master Tomasaru has many techniques he does not use for one reason or another. From the looks of that it seems it might have been a last resort technique." They all watched the barrier waver and distort as the twister sucked in it's energy to grow stronger. Then the tornado seemed to weaken. They watches as it slowly lost it's golden light and can make out a figure in the middle of the tornado being slowly lowered down. The barrier seemed to glow and distort wildly.

Kikyo shook herself out of her stupor. "Miroku, Kagome, this is our chance!" With nods they set to work again in trying to pry open the barrier to their missing friend. Kikyo closed her eyes and let her spiritual training come to the fore. She could sense Miroku and Kagome on either sides of her but she just continued with her work. The barrier was still strong, but now she could squeeze a bit of her spiritual power into the barrier and make a rift. As she concentrated on her task she pulled more and more of the power inside of her. She nearly made a hole when something happened that completely broke her concentration. Through the small hole she made the other could hear it as well.

It was a scream. It was a scream of indescribable pain. And it was in a voice they all knew. Because of her lapse in concentration the hole closed. More frightening was that they could hear the screams through the barrier, only slightly muffled. Kikyo's face set and she grunted with supreme effort. She called upon all her powers and forced another hole. Shaking themselves out of their shock Miroku and Kagome helped Kikyo. In another minute a doorway had formed. Inuyasha, dragging a kicking and screaming Myoga, went in first followed by Sango, Shippo and Kirara. Kagome, Miroku, and Kikyo broke their concentration and quickly dived through the hole which slowly closed up.

Breathing hard from exertion, the three stood and joined the others. They quickly made their way to where they heard the screams. When they got there they could only look on in horror. Tomasaru was raised in the air by an arm turned sword of Naraku. His once deep blue kimono was torn to shreds. Whatever left on him were all stained red with his blood. Most of his skin was either red with his blood or burned black. His hair was cut and charred as were his ears. They could see craters and blood pools all over the courtyard. They looked back to see Naraku smiling at them with Tomasaru still hanging off his arm like a body on a pike. "Well well well. I must say this certainly is a surprise, what do I owe for the honor of your visit?" Naraku spoke with a sinister smile and made no move to drop the body raised off the ground by his transformed arm.

Kikyo grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed at Naraku only to have the tortured body of Tomasaru to be put between them. "Now now!" He admonished with a shake of the body he carried. "I must thank you Kikyo. I never would have had this wonderful opportunity for a one on one discussion with Tomasaru if you hadn't pushed him away. So you have my thanks." Kikyo shook in rage as he taunted her. Miroku looked like he wanted to undo the prayer beads to suck Naraku in, but stayed his hand because of the hostage. "I truly wish to end this pathetic half breed's existence. He has been nothing but an irritant. I could, however, be convinced to spare the fool's life…..for a price." He looked straight at Kagome. Or more specifically, the jewel shards around her neck.

Inuyasha put himself between her and Naraku. "No way you bastard! Let him go NOW!" Naraku merely smiled and black energy run up from his blade into it's victim. Having long lost the ability to scream Tomasaru's body merely shook uncontrollably and blood started leaking from his nose, his ears, his eyes, and all open orifices. Kikyo, tears in her eyes, quickly reached over to Kagome and ripped the jewel from her neck. Before Inuyasha or anyone else could stop her she threw it at Naraku, who caught it halfway. She sunk to her knees crying. "Let him go, please, just let him go…"

Naraku smiled as the jewel fused into one piece again. He looked at the charred, broken body impaled on his limb and contemptuously threw the body toward Kikyo where it rolled toward her like a puppet with cut strings. "Ah, the jewel is once again complete. Mmmm, the power…" he closes his eyes in pleasure. Inuyasha and the others can only watch in helplessness as they feel his evil power rise. "I could destroy you all right now. With the jewel complete it would be so easy…" he watched with a smile as the group assembled before him tenses and prepared for an attack. "I think I'll wait. Yes, I'll let you all dwell on your demise before delivering the final blow."

His eyes narrowed on Kikyo, cradling the blackened broken body. "Except for you Kikyo. I have….special plans for you." He licked his lips with a serpent like tongue and laughed as his castle and he faded into the background. After a full minute the group was alone except for the echo of that haunting laugh. After the danger had passed Myoga jumped out from Kirara's fur coat and raced to his Master's side. He jumped from the top of Tomasaru's body and inspected it. Kikyo's hands also ran along the body feeling for wounds and broken bones. Inuyasha just watched and growled. "Well? Is he going to live?" They could all hear the undercurrent of worry. Myoga answered. "Probably. We must get him medical help as quickly as possible. From what I can ascertain from the Master's wounds, he….was wounded with intent on maximizing pain while minimizing the risk of accidental death…"

Miroku narrowed his eyes as Kirara transformed to carry the defeated body of their friend. "So you are saying he was tortured." It was not a question and Myoga merely nodded. Kikyo and Sango lifted the body onto the mighty fire cat and mounted her. Sango looked at the others apologetically. "Sorry, the rest of you have to walk. We need to get him to a village and fast. Outkast is no more than a few hours away." Everyone nodded except for Inuyasha and Kagome. Kirara took to the air while Inuyasha looked at Miroku. "Where the heck is Outkast? I've never heard of such a dumb sounding town!" It was Shippo that answered him. "You don't know it? It is a village made up of human, hanyou and demons. I was planning on going there after I had my revenge on the Thunder Brothers." The child's head went down as he remembered how his mother and father were brutally murdered by the pair. Kagome's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, wasn't that the place Tomasaru told us about?" Miroku nodded solemnly. "Yes, and we must make our way there as well. It should not be too far on foot." Inuyasha just growled "Let's GO already! We can do the cheesy tour guide stuff later!"

He half turned when something could his eye. Tomasaru's sword embedded in the ground. He could see the sheath not far from a bloody crater. He walked to the sheath, grabbed it and headed toward the sword. Slowly he grabbed the hilt and pulled the sword from the ground. He looked at it with a mixture of sadness and rage. His brother was a better swordsman than him and deep down he knew it. To be able to disarm him and do the damage that was done to him….

A growl made its way past his throat. "Naraku….You'll pay for this!" He quickly sheathed the sword and put it on his belt next to the Tetsusaiga. He turned to the others with a burning amber gaze. "Come on! No use staying here."

Meanwhile high above the sky the two women and firecat flew as quickly as possible to a place where their friend may be healed. Kikyo looked at the battered and bloody body and tried to hold back her tears. Maybe more than a friend. She wanted to hate him. She should hate him. What he did was inexcusable and harmed countless innocents. The fact she couldn't made her hate herself even more. She remembered all he did and all she heard of him. How could she hate someone who did so much for others? Who loved her so much he practically threw his life away once she rejected him. She also felt guilty because here he was wounded because of her pushing him away and all she could think about was trying to sort her feelings.

As they flew towards the village all Kikyo could do is look at the unconscious figure before her and wonder how he could make something so simple into something so complicated!

OK, that's that. Lucky number seven done! Once again thank you reviewers doing reviewing. I have a feeling this is going to be a whole lot darker for a few chapters. You know what they say, nothing worthwhile is ever easy! Anyway, thank you for the reviews and keep them coming! It helps flow my creativity and bring out more chapters when I know someone is waiting to read them. Till I see you in chapter eight!


	8. Chapter 8

Hi all, thanks to TheTraveller411 who once again reviewed a chapter just to say he liked it. And to his question about my other fic, I'm concentrating on this. I haven't updated warrior in years so I don't know if or when I will. And for shame on the rest of you! All you have to do is click a button! Anyway I don't own any of this so all you creditors leave me alone! YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

Consciousness returned slowly. From what I remember Naraku was using me as a tennis ball and going all dark jedi on my ass. My body still feels the burns of his poisons and the pain of him impaling me several times. Since I am feeling pain I guess that means somehow I survived. Unless the Gods and Demons want to make me suffer until they wipe me out of existence first. I would think the Gods were above that but after what Kami did….well I think I lost faith. Imagine that, you meet Gods and you lose faith in them. Usually it's the not meeting and knowing about them that makes a person lose faith!

I seem to be on something soft. Bed probably. That means someone must have dragged me from the battlefield. For the life of me I can't figure out who would. Not like I have any friends left and thanks to my stellar efforts I can safely rule out divine intervention. I can't seem to open my eyes. Alright. That's fine. I got my hanyou senses! I sniff. Hmmm, smells like a hut. Sort of feels like a hut. I'm laying in a bed. I'm in a hut. Ok, that's not helpful in the least.

I sniff again. Alright, that smells a bit familiar. Mix of humans and demons. I doubt most demons would help me. Hmm, same for humans. They are both very close to each other. Probably in Outkast. Maybe someone from the village went to investigate the battle and found me? That doesn't make sense though. Naraku had me at his mercy. He has NO mercy. He wouldn't have let me live. As much as I hate to say it I don't think anyone in the village could have made him leave. What could have HAPPENED?

I catch a rustle and a very, VERY familiar scent washes over me. I feel my insides tear up. I'm in hell. That's the only other explanation. The last encounter is still fresh in my mind. I have no desire for an encore performance of the ripping of my still beating heart again. I groan and force my eyes to open. BRIGHT! I close them quickly and grunt as I try again. The light is still bright but I try to make my eyes adjust. I can see a face peering curiously at me. Damn, it's just a mass of black. But the smell. By all that is mighty the smell! I know it so well. But it can't be. I can still remember the burning hatred in her eyes. That kind of hate doesn't just go away.

As my eyes start to adjust it can make out what my other senses already told me. I open my mouth and only let out a hoarse croak. I can see she walked away to come back with a cup. She put it to my lips and I drank the water greedily. She looked sadly at me. "How are you feeling?" She DIDN'T just ask me that did she?

"Hmm, I feel like I've just been used as a practice dummy. I feel like I've been burned inside and out. I feel like everyone I loved has betrayed me. But enough about my selfish self, hey how are you?" I glare at her through pained eyes. What, did she think I'd be all peachy that she got me a glass of water? I can see her eyes fill with tears as she flinched at my caustic tone. I press the battle of wills to her sensing blood. "What? Think just after that whole big thing in the forest I'd be just fine and dandy? I open myself up to you. I tell you things that I'm pretty much dealing with myself and you just ATTACK me!" She glared at me through her tears. "What did you expect Tomas? You tell me you pretty much screwed up the Creators plans and destroyed more lives than can truly be comprehended and think I'd just smile and say it was for the best?"

I growled from my immobile position on the bed. "No, I expected you to help me through it! Not to judge me because, HEY, I KNOW how I'm going to be judged! This is my last god damned life! No reincarnation, no eternity of divine damn life or even eternity in hell! My soul is going to be OBLITERATED!" Kikyo's eyes lost their anger and looked at me in confusion and horror. "How could you know that would be your fate…?"

I look down at my chest from the bed. "The Creator told me of it in hopes to dissuade me from doing what I did. Come on, Creator of everything, I'm pretty sure I am pretty easy to read from Her." I can smell the salt from her tears but I refuse to look up. It might rob me of any kind of defiance I have to her. "But, if you knew that was to be your punishment…"

I snort derisively. I can't help but raise my head to look at her. "What, why'd I do it? Come on Kikyo! You KNOW me! At least I thought you knew me. After earlier I doubt that very much." I look back toward my chest. I can hear a chair scrape across the floor. I hear her footsteps as she runs out of the house. I hear….people falling over? I look toward the door and see my brother walking in. Hmm, I guess he heard everything. These ears of ours don't just frame our face you know. He just walks to the wall, crosses his arms and leans on the wall. I smile at him. "Hey bro, what's up? Guess you heard the whole story, huh?"

He shrugs. "I heard it. Kinda surprising, but then again not. I have to admit, the one thing about you is you ain't boring." I shrug myself and wince. Damn, not healed yet. My brother notices the flash of pain. "You were pretty badly beaten. You've been out the past few days. Kikyo hasn't left your side for more than a few minutes." My mood darkened when I heard her name. He notices my scowl and continues. "Hey, I ain't saying you don't gotta reason to be pissed, but she WAS worried." I glared at him. "So worried that she practically threw me away the moment she saw I wasn't perfect? Where was her concern when I was worried for the very state of my SOUL? I never intentionally lied or hurt her! I stood by her side for decades. Then when I needed someone, when I needed help I was on my own!" He glared right back. "That was your own damn fault! You just left. You didn't even TALK to any of us. We just had Kikyo storming into camp looking all pissy!"

I closed my eyes and tried to swallow the lump in my throat. "If the woman I loved and sacrificed so much for spurned me so friggin hatefully, what could I have expected from people who didn't know me nearly as well?" I opened my eyes and saw a bit of understanding. A hanyou's life was not what anyone would call easy. If you had someone that you trusted and they trusted you it was worth more than all the riches in the land. When that person betrays you…..well you'd not be in any kind of social state of mind. Inuyasha would know that best….

He crossed his arms and looked at me stubbornly. "You could have at least talked to me! I know we haven't exactly been a close family but I would have thought you could come to me when things got bad." I shake my head at him. "Yasha, first off I just had the last of my hopes crushed by the woman I've loved with all my heart and soul. I damn well sacrificed my soul for her. I wasn't in any good of shape of mind! And, no offense, but you HAVE tried to kill me more than a few times." His ears dropped and he mumbled "A few were accidents…" I roll my eyes. "We are probably some of the few people that can try to kill each other by accident!" He barked a short laugh at that and we grinned at each other.

I took a deep breath. "How did you guys find me anyway?" Inuyasha kept his grin on his face. "When Kikyo came into the clearing pissed as hell we got the story on what went down. She was all for not finding you but Kagome talked some sense into her." Hmm, he seemed awful proud Kagome was able to get through to her. "Anyway, we managed to get through the barrier after it was weakened by some freaky golden tornado. Know anything about that?" I smiled a bit. "Was a trump card. I had Naraku right where I wanted him…" I clenched my fist. "But a damn GOD let him go!" Yasha just blinked at that. "A God? As in divine ones? Ones that hate evil Demons type of God?" I nod. "Yeah, said he was maintaining the balance since a Demoness let me into the barrier." Inuyasha just shook his head and held out his hand. "Please stop! You're hurting my damn brain. Demons helping you, Gods trying to stop you, damn confusing!"

I smirk at him but he can tell the smile doesn't reach my eyes. "Welcome to my life. So you got into the barrier. How did you stop Naraku?" That's the million dollar question. Naraku was powerful. Too damn powerful even for a full demon much less a hanyou! Inuyasha looked a bit angry. "He said he'd spare you…..if he got our half of the jewel." I felt the bottom fall out of my stomach. "You guys of course told him to go to hell, right? RIGHT?" Inuyasha winced a bit. "I did, but he was….killing you. Kikyo took the jewel from Kagome and threw it at Naraku. He took it and left you." I could feel my head pounding. I'm pretty sure the next village could hear my scream "WHAAAAAAAAAAT?"

Mean while Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Miroku were all at Elder Nena's house when they heard the scream. Sango looked alarmed but Kagome just sighed and Miroku looked unperturbed and continued his meal. Sango looked at the others. "Aren't you a bit worried about that?" Kagome shrugged and chuckled nervously. "I heard that kind of scream before." Shippo just kept eating and stopped to look at Sango. "From the sound of it, seems like he heard about what happened to the jewel." Sango just blinked and muttered "Oh…" She then felt something brush against her rear. Turning red faced she whirled angrily to the monk who was eating like he didn't have a care in the world. She looked at his face snarling, then calmed and her eyes drifted lower. She flexed her hand and formed a fist…..

Back at the hut I was trying to calm my breathing. How could she do such a stupid….I hear a girlish shriek. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I am shocked out of my anger and look at my brother. He said one word. "Miroku." I nodded. Now that I think about it I heard his great grandfather shriek like that once as well. He somehow managed to piss off a wandering Amazon. I shake my head. "So Naraku has the whole jewel?" My brother nodded solemnly. I try to get up but only manage a gasp of pain. Inuyasha looked at me startled. "Damn it what are you doing you fool?" I glare at him. "Naraku has had the jewel long enough. The more time we waste the stronger he'll become. He already was too strong and that was with HALF the jewel!" He glared back. "What are you going to do, hobble towards him? You can't even sit up. You need a few more days rest at least!" I grit my teeth and pull myself somewhat upright. "Damn it, we don't have the time! Naraku can't win! I can't let him win.."

Inuyasha moved towards me and pushed me down on the bed. Being a bit startled by the move my body returned to it's horizontal position. "Rest, we'll get Naraku, don't you worry about THAT!" I look at him more than a bit confused. "Who are you and where is my clueless brother?" He just smirked at me. "He had to grow up a bit since his twin keeps getting into trouble." I just narrow my eyes. "Do not!" His eye's light up. He remembers this game when we were kids. "Do too!" We used to confuse the hell out of villagers that bothered us with this routine. They'd just look at the two identical hanyous pointing their fingers at one another saying 'Did not, did too' or something similar.

We were at it for two minutes when the door opened and I see Kagome looking at us in amusement. So was Shippo and Sango. Miroku….damn Miroku! His face was extremely pale and he was hunched over. I notice his legs are also closed tightly and he seemed to shuffle in. Damn perverted monk is too much like his ancestor! I said for a final time "Do not!" Before he can cut in I greet my visitors. "Hi guys, how are things?" He mock glares me and I just stick my tongue out at him. My timing has never been very good. Why can I get my relationship with my brother to a nice level only when I'm faced with eminent destruction? I don't think the Gods liked me even before I crashed their computer.

Kagome's eyes danced merrily. I guess she's never really seem Yasha's playful side. "How are you feeling? We all…" she chuckled a bit nervously "..heard that you found out about the jewel." I sighed. "What's done is done. Lord knows I've done a few things I wish I hadn't…" I notice they all looked down at that. Yup, they all know alright. I see a small dot barreling at me. "MASTER!" Reflexively I swat the flea out of the air towards Inuyasha where swats him toward the floor. I mutter "Sorry Myoga, you kind of startled me there." He got right back up like nothing was wrong and hopped onto my bed into my lap. "My Lord! I am so pleased that you have regained consciousness. We were all very worried." I look around at the earnest faces. They really WERE concerned. With my eyes burning I grunt out "Thanks guys."

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes. "Enough of this mushy stuff. We need to find the jewel and take care of Naraku!" I nod. "Well, once I get better we can track him. But what will we do once we FIND him. The guy kicked the shit out of me. My trick won't work twice, he'll be looking for it. I don't know anything we can do to break his power or somehow separate him and the jewel." Inuyasha growled. "There must be a way. You're the one that's always going on about no one being unbeatable, well THINK of something!" I look at him deadpan. "Yeah, think of something, why didn't I think of that…."

"Enough!" Miroku gasped. His voice seems to have lowered to a masculine level. "Squabbling is pointless, we must all think of a plan that we can use once Tomasaru's wounds are healed." He tried to stand a bit straighter but we all heard a surprised grunt. He turned pale again and quickly hobbled out of the house where we all heard retching. We all blink at each other. All except Sango who has a self satisfied smile on her face. Damn I got to remember to stay on her good side!

Hmm, the jewel is the source of Naraku's power. It has to be evil for it to work for him. The only way to purify it is for Kagome of Kikyo to touch it. I doubt Naraku will let them run their hands over his chest. The jewel is the problem. Without it he's no match for any of us. I decide to speak about what I'm thinking, maybe they can come up with an idea. "The way I see it we got one problem." Inuyasha cuts me off. "Naraku!" I roll my eyes. "NO! He's only a by product of our problem. The real problem is the jewel itself. It's the jewel that gives Naraku his strength. The more he corrupts it, the stronger he becomes. The jewel is his power. We need to figure out how to cut the power!" Shippo looks like he's trying to solve a calculus equation. "So if the jewel is purified, he can't use it? Why not let Kagome purify it! Then we can smash Naraku!" They all look at the child fondly. I reply "Well Shippo, the only problem is that Kagome would have to TOUCH the jewel to purify it. But if she's that close to Naraku he'll tear her apart easily." He looked a little frightened at the idea of Kagome dying so brutally. The poor kid looks to her as he would his mother.

Sango rubs her chin. "Does she HAVE to touch it?" I look at her in confusion and I know I'm probably not the only one. She continues "As a Miko, her aura also has the power of purification. Could she not somehow extend that aura? Make is so it is as effective as touching the jewel?" Hmm, interesting. Inuyasha jumps at that thought. "Kagome can't do that! She can barely fire an arrow, much less control her aura like THAT!" Kagome turned to the hanyou looking decidedly angry. "Who says I can't do it Inuyasha? I'm sure all I need to do is practice and I can do it!" He just snorted "Your brain is broken if you think it'll be THAT easy! Kikyo worked for years on honing her powers and that's not even something SHE can do!" Kagome went deathly still and her face lost all emotion. Oh shit….I've seen that enough with Kikyo to know no good can come of this look.

"Well Inuyasha, I am SO happy you have such LITTLE faith in me!" She started crying toward the end and I think even my brother saw how his words affected her. "Wait I didn't mean it like…" "**SIT!**" Ended my brother's attempt at removing both his feet from his mouth. She stormed out of the house with tears starting to roll off her cheeks. Sango excused herself and ran after her friend. I watched my brother trying to pull himself from the ground as the spell faded. Shippo was glaring at him and I'm sure my eyes weren't looking too happy with him as well. He looked at us and muttered a sarcastic "What the hell are you guys looking at?" I shake my head. "Shippo, can you go check on Kagome? Me and my brother need to chat." The little boy was only too happy to get out of the room containing the hanyou that upset Kagome.

"Inuyasha. What the hell is WRONG with you?" He looks at me with anger in his eyes. Damn it. We go from happy to angry so damn quickly. I think this family is somehow bi polar! "Come on Yasha. I know how you feel about her. Hell I've been where you are. Only thing is your situation is a hell of a lot simpler than mine!" He crossed his arms and looked away from me "Feh! Nothing about our situations is similar. And why should I be concerned what that stupid girl feels anyway?" I shake my head at his stubbornness. "You love her, that's why!" He looked at me with his amber eyes glaring at me. "I do not…." He growled and forced himself to continue. "…I do not love her, OK! Happy now?" I can tell her forced himself to say that. Why the hell is he so damn stubborn?

"Does your pride mean so damn much to you Yasha?" He looked at me curiously. "What's wrong with loving her? She obviously loves you. I know you can't be THAT dumb. It's in the way she walks, the way she talks, the way she looks at you. And last but not least her scent!" He growls and looks like he's ready to take me apart. "Dammit talk to me bro! What the hell is going on in your head? Why is it so damn wrong to admit you love her?" He looked down. He's silent for several seconds and speaks softly. "She doesn't deserve some hanyou vagabond. I have nothing to offer her. She doesn't really need me. She's got her future and I'm here in the past." My eyes widen. "That's just part of it. You're just scared!" He looked up angered by the very accusation. "Scared? I ain't scared of NOTHING!" I smile, got you bro!

"Oh yeah, you're scared. And it doesn't have a thing to do with not being worthy and all that crap. That might be some of the reason but I think I know the main one." He narrows his eyes at me. "Ok, what is it smart guy?" I smile warmly at him. "You're scared of her leaving." I can see he stood stock still and I continued. "You said it yourself. She's from the future, you're from the past. When this whole thing is over you're afraid she'll be gone, leaving you in the past as she heads to the future!" By the way I see his ears move I know I'm on the money. I sigh. He looks a bit confused at why I sounded so happy one second and looks sad the next. "Yasha, I'm pretty sure you know everything about me. And I'm also sure you heard about how I was when Kikyo died. I was a wreck. I can see that now. I kept moving, kept wandering, I never stayed in one play. I fought so I wouldn't have to think of the gaping hole where my heart was." I stopped and swallowed. That was not a nice fifty years I had.

Continuing "What made it worse was the regrets I had. I never really told her how I felt. Not completely. I mean I showed her, saved her, but I never outright said it." I looked deep into his eyes. I know he can relate to this. "So when she was gone, all the reasons I had to hold back, all the reasons I thought I was doing the right thing flew right out the window. Yash…Inuyasha. I'm not preaching, do what you feel is right. But I'm telling you that you are going to have some major regrets later on in your life. You might stay with Kagome forever or you might lose her once things are said and done, but…" I close my eyes, trying to think of the words. "But, at least you'd have been with her. You'd have those memories of her, her smile, her laugh, things to help keep you sane being apart from her. My biggest regret is that I didn't tell Kikyo sooner how I felt. Now look at us. Things are so damn crazy I don't know what she feels for me and I'm not sure how I feel about her!"

Yeah, life is damn frustrating at times. I really don't want my brother to go through all the crap I'm going through right now. Especially if what Kami said would come to pass and we all die. I want him to truly know love at least before the end. He looked at me with his face expressionless but I can see the warring emotions deep in his eyes. He speaks hesitantly "I just….I don't want her to feel the same pain I feel when she's not around…" Through all that gruffness the Yasha I played with is still in there. He was such a sensitive kid. Damn bigoted bastards forced him to grow thick skin! "Yasha, don't forget it's her choice as well. And what hurts more? The idea of being separated or the idea she hates you? Cause my experience having the woman you love say she hates you is the worst thing you can feel. Also look at it from her perspective when you do shit like that making her think you hate her!" He looked at me with widened eyes. "There's no way that stupid girl could think I hate her!" I just look at him. "Bro, listen to yourself sometimes when you talk to her. ESPECIALLY to what you said prior to her sitting you! She sure as hell doesn't do that for kicks."

He looks frustrated. "Damn it what should I do?" He's looking at me and I painfully raise my hands. "Don't look at me, not like my love life is the stuff of romance novels! Just do what you feel is right. But don't wait too damn long. Life is too short and with Naraku holding all the cards it's probably going to get shorter from now on." He nodded seriously at that and walks out the door with purposeful strides. Damn, with my background in relationships how the hell did I become Dr. Ruth? Well with Yasha I'd think him talking to Dr. Kevorkian would be more appropriate! I really hope things work out for him. We've not had an easy life to put it mildly. Although from the crap I'm getting put through maybe there's not much more left in this shit storm I call a life!

"Well done Master Tomasaru!" I look and see Myoga coming out from under my bed. Sneaky damn flea. I shrug. "I just told him to get his ass in gear and be a bit mature about things." He shook his little head. "Master, you are always too modest." I grin. The damn flea can butter people up with the best of them. "I assume you've been told everything?" He nods seriously. "Yes, it came as quite a surprise! However looking back on things I can definitely see that you were different." I snort in amusement. "Different is putting it mildly Myoga. Any ideas on how we could defeat Naraku?" Myoga may be a coward, but there was a reason he was my Father's most trusted advisor. He was damn smart and a good strategist. "Well, I would think if you combined the talents of Lady Kikyo as well as Lady Kagome, the aura effect, as Lady Sango put it, might be effective to weaken Naraku at a critical point." I nod. A sudden power decrease during an all out attack could be all the opening they'd need.

Myoga continued. "What about that attack you used earlier Master? That golden Tornado, as you said yourself, was extremely effective against Naraku. If used again it might bring him to his demise!" I shook my head negatively. "Won't work. That attack uses an opponents own energy to rip themselves apart. To form the attack I have to lead my opponent through a spiral. He knows the attack now so he won't follow me into the spiral." Myoga looked deep in thought. "Is that the only way Master? Could you now form it yourself or think of another way to form it?" I shook my head only to stop midway. I may not be able to do it myself, but who said I was by myself anyway? I felt a grin forming. Oh yeah, I'm thinking of a way to form that attack, maybe even making it stronger. I'll need help, but then again, that's what friends are for! I felt a warm sensation in my chest. It's nice to be able to rely on others.

"I think there might be a way Myoga. I'll definitely need Yasha's help though." Myoga looked pleased himself. "I'm sure the young Master will aid you!" I could only nod. I think back to the idea of Kagome and Kikyo working together and my mood darkens. Kikyo….

Damn, did she not know me at ALL? She seemed so damn surprised I did what I did knowing all the consequences. Did she think I could abandon her so readily? "Master, thinking about Lady Kikyo again?" I snort. Myoga knows me for the past few decades. This isn't the first time I've gone into a 'Kikyo funk'. "Just disappointed in her. I thought she knew me and when I think I can trust her she stabs me in the gut!" Myoga sighed theatrically. "You and your brother unfortunately inherited your Father's stubbornness. If he was right no one better stand in his way to tell him he was wrong. Except for one woman. A human one at that!" I look at him with my face clearly showing my shock. He never really went into how my Father and Mother met. "Yes, your Mother, may the God's bless her spirit." I swallow the lump in my throat. The Gods aren't as benign as people make them out to be. And I can tell from what Kami did that they certainly can hold a grudge. "Your Father traveled to a moderate to high end human village to punish them for not paying their taxes. He protected them from extermination several times yet they STILL refused my Lord's demands. He came into the village and started to destroy it. To teach the humans a lesson about honoring their agreements. Anyway he was about to destroy another building when a human female stood before him defiantly. My Lord thought it amusing, suicidal but amusing. Then the human started to actually berate him for destroying her village for no reason!"

Myoga shook his head as he seemed to be back at that day. "She yelled at your Father, your Father yelled back. Apparently the village's crops were destroyed in one of the battles to protect it. His vassals never told him since they thought that protecting humans were beneath them. She actually pulled My Lord's ear and led him to the devastated fields. Naturally your Father was not taken with her presumptuousness of touching her Lord in such a manner. They argued again. Then he left but returned to the village again for some reason or another. Every time they'd be arguing about something. Until, finally…" I blinked. "You mean to tell me my Father met my Mother because she…." Myoga finished "Because she refused to bow before Him. Just because He was her Lord didn't mean she would allow Him to run over her or her people. She deeply respected him, of that there was no doubt, but she refused to be bullied into anything. My Lord, however, was fascinated by her. He could destroy her with no effort at all. She knew that as well as he. It was not because she was ignorant of His power that she was not humbled. She simply refused to bow before His wishes when she felt He was in the wrong!"

Myoga chuckled lightly as if remembering something amusing. "I have no need to tell you that did not please Him. It also intrigued Him. So he spent more time with her in hopes He could figure her out. And then more time. By the time he knew it He was deeply in love with her. With that new found love came respect for humanity as a whole. He grew to respect that she would not simply give in because he was more powerful than her. Your Father set aside His pride as the Lord of the Western Lands for something far more important." I can see in Myoga's eyes what he was trying to tell me with this story. Love before pride. But one thing bugs me…"Hey Myoga, what were my parent's names anyway?" He looked shocked. "You do not know?" I shake my head. I honestly never thought to ask. "Your father was called Raniyasha, and your Mother was the Lady Akanicko." I face fault and then grit my teeth in the agony the sudden movement cause. Why the HELL aren't I surprised? Their names are basically Ranma and Akane? Shit, I know I've run into other anime stuff while here but this is too damn blatant!

Myoga looked at me concerned. "Are you alright Master?" I can only nod. Can't I wake up and things be boring? Maybe 'Oh we destroyed Naraku and purified the jewel, go back to sleep' instead of the damn world is ending and your parents names are straight out of another anime! Myoga interrupted my internal rant "I will find Lady Kikyo and bring her here, you two have much to discuss. This petty squabble cannot be allowed to continue." I glare at his retreating for and mumble "It's not petty…."

"Perhaps, perhaps not." My ears swivel toward the door and I see Kikyo. Her eyes are still a bit red and her cheeks are damp but she seems fine. I look at her and say quietly "That was quick…."

She smiles at me a bit. "I was not far. I returned only minutes later and heard all the conversations." I look at her trying to keep my face impassive. "Eavesdropping Kikyo? Seems YOU might be getting a bit untrustworthy!" She flinches at the barb and I mentally curse myself. She's trying to make things right and I'm not helping. "Sorry. But you really pissed me off." She looks at me with sad eyes. Damn, I never wanted to make those eyes sad again. "All that talk about trust and togetherness, but when I seriously need help you just turned your back on me and called me a monster!" She looks down and I can se her shoulders quietly shaking. Damn it…

"Come over here Kikyo." She looks at me with her eyes starting to dampen again. She moves to sit down on the chair and I wave her off. I pat the bed and scoot over to give her some room. I try to grit my teeth and not show the amount of pain that little move gave me. I'm not sure how successful I was but she did sit where I asked her to. Damn it. I can't go through this anymore!

"Kikyo…" I use my hand and lift her chin so she's forced to look me in the eyes. "I love you. Yes even after all this crap I love you. I need to know, do you love me?" I can se more shimmering but I hold her gaze with mine. She looks like she's about to bolt. As she rises I grab her wrist. "Please Kikyo. Don't run away. I NEED to know. Please!" She shakes her head and I can see the tears falling. "I can't…I just can't…" I bring her captive hand to my lips and kiss it. "Kikyo, time is something I don't have anymore." I feel she stopped trying to pull away but the tension is still there. "Kikyo, it's time to stop all these games. We have too much to do to be doubting one another. No more doubts! No more guessing! Tell me how you feel because this, NOW, is all I have left!"

She looked at me. I don't see the sadness anymore. I don't see the pain. I see some sort of acceptance. Like she knows and accepts what she has to do. But that's all I can tell. She gently tugs her captive wrist and I let it go. She sits down on the bed her eyes never leaving mine. She takes a deep breath. "I know. And yes you deserve to know. It is that after everything that's happened, all this time and I still know how I feel!" I look at her. She's not making much sense to me. "You told me everything, hid nothing from me, yet I hid things from you." The hairs on the back of my neck started to stand up. "The truth is I want to be in control. I need to be. I always have been. Ever since I completed my training I have always been in control. Even when I was with your brother I was the one in control, not he." Where the hell is she going with this? Is this a break up line? It's not you it's me?

She sighed again. "Then I met you. Our whole situation was beyond anyone's control, especially mine. You remember the village? When we began our journey over fifty years ago?" I smirked and nodded. "Yeah, I doubt I'd forget seeing you march over the dead to get to Naraku." She looked sad at the memory but nodded. "Yes, I was not fully in control of myself. I would have killed myself if you hadn't stopped me." I smiled at her. "Not a problem, but you were pissed when you woke up." She smiled as well. "Yes, though it I believe 'pissed' may be understating how I felt. After I was released I looked at you and could only hate you." Funny how hearing 'hate you' can do to a person's heart.

She continued. "You, like Naraku, took what I cherished most in this world. Control. Throughout our entire journey I was not in control. You were. Always doing something foolish, helping someone along the way when I wanted to hunt down Naraku…" I nod. I don't know where she's going with this. I'm a guy, guess I'm not supposed to. "Yet, you always took care of everyone. I was not in control, yet it did not matter. If I was weak, you'd nurse me back to full strength. If someone was in danger I did not have to worry because you were there. You made me realize I did not HAVE to be in control in order to ensure my happiness. And so all the training I had undergone, all the work I performed in keeping tight control of myself slipped. And yet when it did, it did not matter. If I struck at you in anger, you'd just get up and grin at me. If I showed sadness you would comfort me."

I squeeze her hand. "Hey Kikyo, above all else you were my friend. I did it for everyone." She smiled and squeezed back. "Yes, and that was the problem." I looked at her confused. Even after fifty years the woman confuses me! "You treated me as you did everyone else. When I started to have feelings for you I had no idea how you would react. Then when I found the courage you would totally ruin it by bringing up your brother." She looked pointedly at me and I winced. "I was trying NOT to betray him at the time. I told you that repeatedly." She nodded. "Yes you did, and that made me want you more. I had lost almost total control around you, and yet, I felt completely safe. Even more safe than I can ever remember feeling. When I died…" I stiffened, I didn't like remembering my greatest failure.

"When I died, I was completely at peace. I saw you and the others around me and my only regret was not having been with you longer. I knew you'd do exactly what I asked of you. I had no control and yet I was still completely at ease. The same when I was resurrected. I was especially harsh with you then because although I could not remember you, I did not fear you. From the depths of my being I knew you would not harm me. Again, I had no control over how I felt about you."

I shook my head. "Kikyo, I can see that control is important to you, but what's wrong? What's the point in all this?" She smiled at me. "Typical, I'm paying you compliments and you are telling me to get to the point. And that EXACTLY is the point!" I raised my eyebrows. "Ok, you lost me." She looked at me fondly. "Fool. The point IS that when I learned of your crimes, when I learned what you did to get back at first I was unconcerned. Unconcerned because YOU did it. If you did it then it must have been necessary, that somehow it was fine as long as you did it. When I realized THAT, I got a bit emotional…." I looked at her skeptically. "A BIT?" She had the grace to look embarrassed. "Ok, more than a bit! However after realizing that I got scared. Extremely scared." My guts twisted at that. She was scare….of me?

She seemed to read my mind. "Oh no, not of you! Well not exactly. What I was scared of is that I had lost so much control. That I relied on you so much. Then when you told me what happened I realized that you make mistakes." I stopped her. "You realize NOW I make mistakes? Sheesh Kikyo, you've seen all the crap that's happened to me! This came as a SHOCK?" She smiled a bit at that. "Well, yes. All your mistakes were relatively small. Mostly embarrassing for yourself." I blush and grumble. Damn woman….

"So when I found that you did this…..act. And on such a large and grand scale…it overwhelmed me." I looked at her incredulously. "Overwhelmed YOU! Hey I'm the one that did it and I'm STILL overwhelmed when I think about what I did…." She looked at me with sympathy in her eyes. "Yes, I know. But it scared me that I'd still actually want to be with you even after what you've done." I look at her with hope in my eyes. "You….still want to be with me?" She answered with a soft, chaste kiss on my lips. "Yes, so help me yes. Even that you are being pursued by every God and Demon in creation." I smile at her, feeling that I could take them all on with her by my side. "I promise Kikyo I will protect you. You won't have anything to worry about!" She looked on me sadly. "Until you die…" I look away. "Perhaps. But that's something to worry about later. We have plenty to worry about with Naraku!"

Earlier, when Shippo leaves the house.

"Stupid Inuyasha, hurting Kagome like that…" the little boy growled to himself as he searched for the woman who's been like a mother to him. As he walks he hears a groan. He looks to find Miroku with a black eye. His legs are still tightly together. The little boy can only shake his head in disgust. "Man Miroku, why do you do this to yourself?" He smiles at the child through his pain. "Because she is a Goddess!" He looks at the monk in awe. "If you feel that way, why do you treat her so bad?" The monk puts on his serious face. "I do not treat her badly at all, I merely show her my interest as only a man can." Shippo still looks at the pervert in amazement. "But she HATES it when you grope her!" He shook his head as if he heard something humorous. "Now now Shippo, she is just shy." Shippo heard some of the words the Demon Slayer tossed his way. "Sango is a lot of things, I don't think shy is one of them…." He shook his head. "Ah the innocence of youth…."

They were cut short when a determined hanyou was making a bee line to where Kagome had run off to.

Inuyasha knew where she was. Her scent was permanently etched into his being. The scent of his tears made his insides feel like Sesshomaru was digging around in there on his way to get the black pearl. He needed to do this. There was no way he was scared! Especially not of a little girl like her! He stormed into the house where her scent came from and he can see her in tears crying on Sango's shoulder. If looks could kill the demon slayer would have set the hanyou ablaze. He looked at her through angry eyes. "Get out, I need to talk to her." Sango was about to tell him where he could shove his request when Kagome's voice cut through the silence of the house. "What do you want Inuyasha?" Her voice was so sad, so devoid of all the life he'd known and expected from her. Steeling himself as best he could he replied "I need to talk to you, alone!" he said the last part to Sango with a pointed look. With a slight nod from her friend she sent a glare to Inuyasha and stormed out of the house.

Looking at Kagome he couldn't help but feel guilty. He was the reason she was here crying her eyes out. He just wanted….dammit he doesn't even KNOW what he wants. Kagome is just looking at him through blank eyes. That hurts a lot more than he thought it would. Her eyes were one of the things he loved about her…..LOVED?

Kagome's eyes started to focus as she saw Inuyasha's face. At first it was curiosity as his face was serious one minute, then pensive, then sad, then frustrated, then surprised. He's going through so many emotions that she can hardly keep up! Watching him struggle like this brings a smile to her face. Obviously he doesn't want to be doing this and yet he's here. Finally shaking off her depression she asks again "Inuyasha? What is it you want?"

Frustrated he speaks without thinking "Want, what would I want from a stupid girl like you?" Seeing her face and remember his earlier conversation he replayed his words in his head as he can see her mounting anger. Finally seeing that perhaps that he may have worded his response a tad incorrectly he waved his hands frantically. "Ok ok, I just wanted to know how you were since you ran off so suddenly after using that damn word!" He crossed his arms in a huff. He HATED that damn sit command. She looked on with an unreadable expression. "So you were worried about me?" He was about to tell her no and not to read into things when he decided to use a very atrophied muscle. His brain. He thought about what he was about to say and the probable result. A nasty sit. Seeing that she's waiting for a response he racks his brain for something that won't offend her.

"Well you're not much use when you're bawling your eyes out to us." He can see her eyes glint a bit and wondered what he said wrong when she responds to statement with "SIT!" She looks at him with barely contained anger. The reason it was barely contained was she sat him. While laying on the ground Inuyasha just decided the hell with this thinking crap. That's Tomas's thing. He'd just wing it like he always does! As soon as he was able to stand he glared at her. "Why the hell did you do that? I was paying you a compliment!" Kagome's face ticked and she said the word again. More internal cursing involved for the hanyou as he again struggled to rise. He glared at her again. "Would you STOP that? How the hell am I supposed to talk to you if you keep sitting me!"

She got right into his face. "Maybe I wouldn't if you weren't such a JERK!" He huffed and crossed his arms. I'm NOT a jerk, I just don't know what the hell to say to you!" That brought her anger under control. She looked at him curiously. Curious was better than anger so he continued. "Alright. MAYBE I sometimes say the wrong thing. It's not like I MEAN it or anything." She looked at him skeptically. "How am I supposed to know what you say is serious and what isn't?" Now it's his turn to look at her in curiosity. He remembered the conversation with his brother but now he's putting it to the back of his mind. He can deal with this himself! "You mean you don't know? Come on, what more do I have to do here Kagome?" She looked at him a bit angrily. "How the hell am I supposed to know what's going on in your head? You don't talk to me unless it's to yell at me or tell me how stupid I am!"

He clenches his fists. "Come on, I saved you more than a few times, that says enough." She looked at him in complete bewilderment. "So, you saved villagers too, as well as the others?" He looked at her a bit angry and hurt. "Damn it! You CAN'T be that dense!" Her eyes flashed and she pointed her finger at him. "And here we are back at the insults! What the hell do you want from me Inuyasha? I know I'm not Kikyo, you told me that more than once! I'm just stupid Kagome, who can't do anything as well as the great Kikyo!" Her voice started cracking and her tears fell again. Inuyasha just closed his eyes and reigned in his temper. He could fight anything in the whole damn world but the one thing he couldn't fight with his fist is currently sobbing in front of him. Taken by an unknown urge he walked the two feet remaining distance and hugged the sobbing girl…woman to him.

Kagome's tears stopped as her eyes widened in shock. "In…Inuyasha, what are you…" He growled. "I….don't think you're stupid." Her eyes sought his in confusion and faint hope. "Ahh, damn it! I'm no good at this talking stuff!" He tried to disengage the hug but she held fast. He could have broken free but found he really didn't have it in him when she looked at him like that. "Please, tell me Inuyasha." He looked at her and could see she desperately needed to hear it from him. "Well, I don't see you as Kikyo anymore." He could tell he said the wrong thing when he saw the light in her eyes dim. Her hold on him loosened and he panicked. He held on to her tighter and now curiosity with a hint of anger were in her eyes. He continued on. "I see you as Kagome. That's the girl I….er…like…" He blushed a bit after saying that and she looked at him in a bit of shock. She stammered "You….like….me?"

He looked at her with a little annoyance. "Why the hell do you sound so shocked?" Her shock passed bringing her anger right back. "Why? WHY? Because it IS a shock! I mean, this is out of NO WHERE!" He frowned at her. "No where? I've liked you for a while….." realizing what he was saying his face glowed red. Kagome blushed a bit too, but annoyance was winning the day. "Why all the insults? Why all the put downs? If you really DO like me?" He growled again. "Damn it! I told you I didn't mean them, what more do you want?" She got out of the embrace and put her hands on her hips. "I want an answer that's what I want!" Crossing his arms he looked away from her as he replied "At first it was cause you looked like Kikyo. After I got over that it became a bit of a habit." She looked ready to kill him. "You mean to tell me you insult me all the time because you got into the HABIT of doing that?" She said it in a sweet way but he could tell by her eyes that she was more than a little upset. Backing away slightly he stammered "Ok, MAYBE a bad habit. I really didn't think you took it seriously! If I thought you were stupid I wouldn't listen to you at all!" He closed his eyes, waiting for the sit to end all sits. After a few seconds he opened his eyes to see her with her eyes closed and shoulders shaking. Thinking she must be getting ready to explode in rage he tried to appease her. "I'm….sorry…" he ground out. The shaking stopped and he could see her looking at him with wide eyes.

Annoyed he huffed "What?" She continued looking at him but he thought he saw a hint of a smile. "You apologized to me…" Losing his temper his mouth shot out "Cause I was wrong! I didn't think you took it THAT seriously you dumb gi….rl…" His eyes widened as the word poured out of his mouth. As he looked at her he could see the mask that slid into place blocking out what she was feeling at the minute. Knowing he was a sit away he whined "I didn't mean that either…." He could see her smile and her mouth was forming a word that started with S. "Sssssssssssss….." he closed his eyes to brace for it. "sssssssSucker!" he opened his eyes to see her supreme amusement at his plight. He crossed his arms and grumbled "That's not very funny…" She darted toward him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Looking at her in shock she turned around and put her ands behind her back. As she left him standing there he could hear her voice "Neither is calling me stupid, dummy…"

Once again a few minutes of storming from Sango as she left Inuyasha and Kagome alone.

Sango was grumbling to herself on the many ways to skin a dog demon when she ran into someone who already ruined her day twice. Growling in a good imitation of a demon she made her way around the distracted monk in hopes to evade his advances. She was unsuccessful.

"Lady Sango, how are you this fine day?" She cursed all her Gods and turned to see the somewhat beaten monk. With grim satisfaction you noticed his legs were still very close together and his eye was turning a nasty shade of purple. Unfortunately he STILL had the damned serene smile on his face. She growled out "What do you want, monk?" Looking startled he asked her in a straight voice "My word Lady Sango, are you alright? You sound incredibly angry." He moved toward her as if to offer her a hug. She jumped several feet away in the opposite direction. Blinking a bit in bewilderment the perverted monk asked "Is there something troubling you? It seems you are very high strung."

Growling she shook her fist. "If you come any closer I'll show you how high strung YOU can get!" He sighed theatrically. "Lady Sango, you really should not so readily resort to violence. The path of Buddha is one of peace. You have nothing to fear from one such as I." She just looked at him in undisguised disgust. "I don't fear you. You….sicken me!" He looked a bit surprised at the statement, and surprisingly hurt. "Come now Sango, I'm sure you do not mean that." She just continued looking at him with same look of revulsion. Sensing she was not kidding he continued "You truly believe the myself, a man of Buddha, to be somehow sickening?" He asked in true confusion. Sango could not help but look at him in surprise.

"You truly think of yourself as a servant of Buddha when you molest women and act like a lecher?" He put his hands in his robes and made to look like he was thinking. "When you put it like that it paints me in a bad light…" After facefaulting she glared at the pervert. " I will admit you are a good warrior and your spiritual powers are an asset to our mission I DO NOT like you nor will I ever like a man who gropes and fondles women like you do!" He just shakes his head and steps forward. "Now Sango…" She takes his outstretched hand and flips him above her head and releases him. He soars into the sky, flips and lands on his feet. Straightening his robe he merely arched his eyebrow. "Was that TRULY necessary Lady Sango?"

She shakes her head and growls again. "Let me make this perfectly CLEAR to you MONK! Are you paying attention, good. I do not like you! I never liked you! The thought of you anywhere near me sickens me to the point of vomiting. Are you getting the picture now? Are you STARTING to understand?" Looking at her with clear purple eyes he replies "Such a beauty. And so shy as well." She stands firm, she doesn't face fault, she doesn't scream, she just glares at him. "I don't care WHAT you believe about me. Just understand THIS! Do not touch me. I don't want you anywhere NEAR me, is that understood?" He simply smiles politely at her. "Lady Sango, I believe you are taking this.." she cuts him off with a yell and cutting motion with her hand "IS. THAT. UNDERSTOOD?" He looks shocked. "This isn't a game to me monk! I'm tired of beating you up looking over my shoulder when I bathe! You are making my life into a living HELL and you don't even CARE!"

Miroku lost his smile and he is looking at Sango like he just met her. "You are serious…." She tried very hard not to growl but she was shaking so much in rage it was hard not to. In clipped tones she said "YES! I am very VERY serious! Now I am going. I am going to eat, or do SOMETHING to keep from killing you! Do not talk to me, do not come near me, I don't want to even THINK about you! Understood?" Looking decidedly pale he simply nodded. When she left he slumped down on the ground near a house. Shippo decided to come out of the bushes and talk to the surprised pervert.

He looked at the child and said in almost disbelief "She hates me?" Shippo had to roll his eyes at him. "You JUST realized that? Didn't the below the belt punch as well as the multiple bruises she gave you hint to that?" He looked at the child seriously and put a hand to his chin. "I thought she was merely shy…" Shippo shook his head and left the monk to his ponderings. Grown ups sure were dumb!

Alright, that's it, another chapter done! I broke from my usual first person writing style to give you readers an insight to the other characters. I wanted most of the affairs in order because I am going to be making hell on Earth soon. They all are going to be facing a lot of trail by fires and even a war to end all demon wars. Maybe not ALL wars but it's going to be close. Stay tuned….well all the five people reading this….


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